intended as a personification of all that is elegant, graceful, and beautiful; not only abstracted from all human infirmities, but elevated above all human feelings and affections; for, though the form is female, the beauty is like the beauty of angels, who are of no sex. I was at first reminded of Milton's Eve; but in Eve, even in her days of innocence, there was some tincture of humanity, of which there is none in the Venus; in whose eye there is no heaven, and in whose gesture there is no love. [A Morning in Venice.] [From Beckford's Sketches of Italy,' &c.] It was not five o'clock before I was aroused by loud din of voices and splashing of water under my balcony. Looking out, I beheld the grand canal so entirely covered with fruits and vegetables on rafts and in barges, that I could scarcely distinguish a wave. Loads of grapes, peaches, and melons arrived and disappeared in an instant, for every vessel was in motion; and the crowds of purchasers, hurrying from boat to boat, formed a very lively picture. Amongst the multitudes I remarked a good many whose dress and carriage announced something above the common rank; and, upon inquiry, I found they were noble Venetians just come from their casinos, and met to refresh themselves with fruit before they retired to sleep for the day. which lay the corpse of a young woman arrayed in all the ornaments of dress, with her face exposed, where the bloom of life yet lingered. The members of different fraternities followed the bier, dressed in the robes of their orders, and all masked. They carried lighted tapers in their hands, and chanted out prayers in a sort of mumbling recitative. I followed the train to the church, for I had doubts whether the beautiful figure I had seen on the bier was not a figure of wax; but I was soon convinced it was indeed the corpse of a fellow-creature, cut off in the pride and bloom of youthful maiden beauty. Such is the Italian mode of conducting the last scene of the tragi-comedy of life. As soon as a person dies, the relations leave the house, and fly to bury themselves and their griefs in some other retirement. The care of the funeral de-a volves on one of the fraternities who are associated for this purpose in every parish. These are dressed in a sort of domino and hood, which, having holes for the eyes, answers the purpose of a mask, and completely conceals the face. The funeral of the very poorest is thus conducted with quite as much ceremony as need be. This is perhaps a better system than our own, where the relatives are exhibited as a spectacle to impertinent curiosity, whilst from feelings of duty they follow to the grave the remains of those they loved. But ours is surely an unphilosophical view of the subject. It looks as if we were materialists, and considered the cold clod as the sole remains of the object of our affection. The Italians Whilst I was observing them, the sun began to reason better, and perhaps feel as much as ourselves, colour the balustrades of the palaces, and the pure when they regard the body, deprived of the soul that exhilarating air of the morning drawing me abroad, animated, and the mind that informed it, as no more I procured a gondola, laid in my provision of bread a part of the departed spirit than the clothes which and grapes, and was rowed under the Rialto, down it has also left behind. The ultimate disposal of the the grand canal, to the marble steps of S. Maria della body is perhaps conducted here with too much of that Salute, erected by the senate in performance of a vow spirit which would disregard all claims that this to the Holy Virgin, who begged off a terrible pestimortal coil' can have to our attention. As soon as lence in 1630. The great bronze portal opened whilst the funeral service is concluded, the corpse is stripped I was standing on the steps which lead to it, and disand consigned to those who have the care of the in- covered the interior of the dome, where I expatiated terment. There are large vaults underneath the in solitude; no mortal appearing, except one old churches for the reception of the dead. Those who priest, who trimmed the lamps, and muttered a prayer can afford it, are put into a wooden shell before they before the high altar, still wrapped in shadows. The are cast into one of these Golgothas; but the great sunbeams began to strike against the windows of the mass are tossed in without a rag to cover them. When cupola, just as I left the church, and was wafted across one of these caverns is full, it is bricked up; and after the waves to the spacious platform in front of St Giorfifty years it is opened again, and the bones are re-gio Maggiore, one of the most celebrated works of Palmoved to other places prepared for their reception. ladio. When my first transport was a little subsided, So much for the last scene of the drama of life. With and I had examined the graceful design of each parrespect to the first act, our conduct of it is certainly ticular ornament, and united the just proportion and more natural. Here they swathe and swaddle their grand effect of the whole in my mind, I planted my children till the poor urchins look like Egyptian umbrella on the margin of the sea, and viewed at my mummies. To this frightful custom one may attri- leisure the vast range of palaces, of porticos, of towers, bute the want of strength and symmetry of the men, opening on every side, and extending out of sight. which is sufficiently remarkable. The doge's palace, and the tall columns at the entrance of the piazza of St Mark, form, together with the arcades of the public library, the lofty Campanile, and the cupolas of the ducal church, one of the most striking groups of buildings that art can boast of. To trious in the records of former ages, before which, in behold at one glance these stately fabrics, so illusthe flourishing times of the republic, so many valiant chiefs and princes have landed, loaded with Oriental spoils, was a spectacle I had long and ardently desired. [Statue of the Medicean Venus at Florence.*] [From Mathews's Diary.] The statue that enchants the world-the unimitated, the inimitable Venus. One is generally disappointed after great expectations have been raised; but in this instance I was delighted at first sight, and It is each succeeding visit has charmed me more. * This celebrated work of art was discovered in the villa of Adrian, in Tivoli, in the sixteenth century, broken into thirteen pieces. The restorations are by a Florentine sculptor. It was brought to Florence in the year 1689. It measures in stature only 4 feet 11 inches. There is no expression of passion or sentiment in the statue: it is an image of abstract or ideal beauty. looking up the piazza of St Mark, along which he thought of the days of Frederick Barbarossa, when marched in solemn procession to cast himself at the feet of Alexander III., and pay a tardy homage to St Peter's successor. Here were no longer those splendid fleets that attended his progress; one solitary galeas was all I beheld, anchored opposite the palace of the doge, and surrounded by crowds of gondolas, whose sable hues contrasted strongly with its vermilion oars and shining ornaments. A partycoloured multitude was continually shifting from one side of the piazza to the other; whilst senators and 85 magistrates, in long black robes, were already arriving to fill their respective offices. school in which was a small pulpit, with steps up to it, in the middle of the apartment; a great theatre; a temple of justice; an amphitheatre about 220 feet in length; various temples; a barrack for soldiers, the columns of which are scribbled with their names and jests; wells, cisterns, seats, tricliniums, beautiful Mo I contemplated the busy scene from my peaceful platform, where nothing stirred but aged devotees creeping to their devotions; and whilst I remained thus calm and tranquil, heard the distant buzz of the town. Fortunately, some length of waves rolled be-saic; altars, inscriptions, fragments of statues, and tween me and its tumults, so that I ate my grapes and read Metastasio undisturbed by officiousness or curiosity. When the sun became too powerful, I entered the nave. After I had admired the masterly structure of the roof and the lightness of its arches, my eyes naturally directed themselves to the pavement of white and ruddy marble, polished, and reflecting like a mirror the columns which rise from it. Over this I walked to a door that admitted me into the principal quadrangle of the convent, surrounded by a cloister supported on Ionic pillars beautifully proportioned. A flight of stairs opens into the court, adorned with balustrades and pedestals sculptured with elegance truly Grecian. This brought me to the refectory, where the chef d'œuvre of Paul Veronese, representing the marriage of Cana in Galilee, was the first object that presented itself. I never beheld so gorgeous a group of wedding garments before; there is every variety of fold and plait that can possibly be imagined. The attitudes and countenances are more uniform, and the guests appear a very genteel decent sort of people, well used to the mode of their times, and accustomed to miracles. Having examined this fictitious repast, I cast a look on a long range of tables covered with very excellent realities, which the monks were coming to devour with energy, if one might judge from their appearance. These sons of penitence and mortification possess one of the most spacious islands of the whole cluster; a princely habitation, with gardens and open porticos that engross every breath of air; and what adds not a little to the charms of their abode, is the facility of making excursions from it whenever they have a mind. [Description of Pompeii.] [From Williams's Travels in Italy, Greece,' &c.] many other curious remains of antiquity. Among the most remarkable objects was an ancient wall, with part of a still more ancient marble frieze, built in it as a common stone; and a stream which has flowed under this once subterraneous city long before its burial; pipes of Terra Cotta to convey the water to the different streets; stocks for prisoners, in one of which a skeleton was found. All these things incline one almost to look for the inhabitants, and wonder at the desolate silence of the place. The houses in general are very low, and the rooms are small; I should think not above ten feet high. Every house is provided with a well and a cistern. Everything seems to be in proportion. The principal streets do not appear to exceed 16 feet in width, with side pavements of about 3 feet; some of the subordinate streets are from 6 to 10 feet wide, with side pavements in proportion: these are occasionally high, and are reached by steps. The columns of the barracks are about 15 feet in height; they are made of tuffa with stucco; one-third of the shaft is smoothly plastered, the rest fluted to the capital. The walls of the houses are often painted red, and some of them have borders and antique ornaments, masks, and imitations of marble; but in general poorly executed. I have observed on the walls of an eating-room various kinds of food and game tolerably represented: one woman's apartment was adorned with subjects relating to love, and a man's with pictures of a martial character. Considering that the whole has been under ground upwards of seventeen centuries, it is certainly surprising that they should be as fresh as at the period of their burial. The whole extent of the city, not one half of which is excavated, may be about four miles. ARCTIC DISCOVERY-ROSS, PARRY, FRANKLIN, &c. Contemporaneous with the African expeditions already described, a strong desire was felt in this country to prosecute our discoveries in the Northern seas, which for fifty years had been neglected. The idea of a north-west passage to Asia still presented attractions, and on the close of the revolutionary war, an effort to discover it was resolved upon. In 1818 an expedition was fitted out, consisting of two ships, one under the command of CAPTAIN JOHN Ross, and another under LIEUTENANT, now SIR this voyage is the account of a tribe of EsquiEDWARD PARRY. The most interesting feature in Pompeii is getting daily disencumbered, and a very considerable part of this Grecian city is unveiled. We entered by the Appian way, through a narrow street of marble tombs, beautifully executed, with the names of the deceased plain and legible. We looked into the columbary below that of Marius Arius Diomedes, and perceived jars containing the ashes of the dead, with a small lamp at the side of each. Arriving at the gate, we perceived a sentry-box in which the skeleton of a soldier was found with a lamp in his hand proceeding up the street beyond the gate, we went into several streets, and entered what is called a coffeehouse, the marks of cups being visible on the stone: we came likewise to a tavern, and found the sign (not a very decent one) near the entrance. The streets are lined with public buildings and private houses, most of which have their original painted decorations fresh and entire. The pavement of the streets is much worn by carriage wheels, and holes are cut through the side stones for the purpose of fastening animals in the market-place; and in certain situations are placed stepping-stones, which give us a rather unfavourable idea of the state of the streets. We passed two beauti-prise. Lieutenant Parry and others entertained a ful little temples; went into a surgeon's house, in the operation-room of which chirurgical instruments were found; entered an ironmonger's shop, where an anvil and hammer were discovered; a sculptor's and a baker's shop, in the latter of which may be seen an oven and grinding mills, like old Scotch querns. We examined likewise an oilman's shop, and a wine shop lately opened, where money was found in the till; a maux hitherto unknown, who inhabited a tract of country extending on the shore for 120 miles, and situated near Baffin's Bay. A singular phenomenon was also witnessed-a range of cliffs covered with snow of a deep crimson colour, arising from some vegetable substance. When the expedition came to Lancaster Sound, a passage was confidently anticipated; but after sailing up the bay, Captain Ross conceived that he saw land-a high ridge of mountains, extending directly across the bottom of the inlet and he abandoned the enter different opinion from that of their commander as to the existence of land, and the admiralty fitted out a new expedition, which sailed in 1819, for the purpose of again exploring Lancaster Sound. The expe dition, including two ships, the Hecla and Griper, was intrusted to Captain Parry, who had the satisfaction of verifying the correctness of his former impressions, by sailing through what Captain Ross mained, and it would have amused an unconcerned looker-on to have observed the anxiety and suspense depicted on the countenances of our part of the group till this was accomplished, for never were the tracings of a pencil watched with more eager solicitude. Our surprise and satisfaction may therefore in some degree be imagined when, without taking it from the paper, Iligluik brought the continental coast short round to the westward, and afterwards to the SS.W., so as to come within three or four days' journey of Repulse Bay. supposed to be a mountain barrier in Lancaster Sound. To have sailed upwards of thirty degrees of longitude beyond the point reached by any former navigator-to have discovered many new lands, islands, and bays-to have established the muchcontested existence of a Polar sea north of America -finally, after a wintering of eleven months, to have brought back his crew in a sound and vigorous state-were enough to raise his name above that of any former Arctic voyager.' The long winter sojourn in this Polar region was relieved by various devices and amusements: a temporary theatre was I am, however, compelled to acknowledge, that in fitted up, and the officers came forward as amateur proportion as the superior understanding of this experformers. A sort of newspaper was also esta-traordinary woman became more and more developed, blished, called the North Georgian Gazette, to which her head (for what female head is indifferent to all were invited to contribute; and excursions abroad praise?) began to be turned by the general attention were kept up as much as possible. The brilliant and numberless presents she received. The superior results of Captain Parry's voyage soon induced decency and even modesty of her behaviour had comanother expedition to the Northern seas of America. bined, with her intellectual qualities, to raise her in That commander hoisted his flag on board the our estimation far above her companions; and I often 'Fury,' and Captain Lyon, distinguished by his heard others express what I could not but agree in, services in Africa, received the command of the that for Iligluik alone, of all the Esquimaux women, 'Hecla.' The ships sailed in May 1821. It was that kind of respect could be entertained which momore than two years ere they returned; and though desty in a female never fails to command in our sex. the expedition, as to its main object of finding a pas- into the ships, the quarter-masters at the gangway Thus regarded, she had always been freely admitted sage into the Polar sea, was a failure, various geographical discoveries were made. The tediousness never thinking of refusing entrance to the wise of winter, when the vessels were frozen up, was woman,' as they called her. Whenever any explanation again relieved by entertainments similar to those was necessary between the Esquimaux and us, Iligluik formerly adopted; and further gratification was was sent for as an interpreter; information was chiefly afforded by intercourse with the Esquimaux, who, in obtained through her, and she thus found herself their houses of snow and ice, burrowed along the rising into a degree of consequence to which, but shores. We shall extract part of Captain Parry's ing a more than ordinary share of good sense on her for us, she could never have attained. Notwithstandaccount of this shrewd though savage race. part, it will not therefore be wondered at if she became giddy with her exaltation-considered her admission into the ships and most of the cabins no The Esquimaux exhibit a strange mixture of intel- longer an indulgence, but a right-ceased to return lect and dulness, of cunning and simplicity, of in- the slightest acknowledgment for any kindness or genuity and stupidity; few of them could count presents-became listless and inattentive in unravelbeyond five, and not one of them beyond ten, nor couldling the meaning of our questions, and careless whether any of them speak a dozen words of English after a constant intercourse of seventeen or eighteen months; yet many of them could imitate the manners and actions of the strangers, and were on the whole excellent mimics. One woman in particular, of the name of Iligluik, very soon attracted the attention of our voyagers by the various traits of that superiority of understanding for which, it was found, she was remarkably distinguished, and held in esteem even by her own countrymen. She had a great fondness for singing, possessed a soft voice and an excellent ear; but, like another great singer who figured in a different society, there was scarcely any stopping her when she had once begun ;' she would listen, however, for hours together to the tunes played on the organ. Her superior intelligence was perhaps most conspicuous in the readiness with which she was made to comprehend the manner of laying down on paper the geographical outline of that part of the coast of America she was acquainted with, and the neighbouring islands, so as to construct a chart. At first it was found difficult to make her comprehend what was meant; but when Captain Parry had discovered that the Esquimaux were already acquainted with the four cardinal points of the compass, for which they have appropriate names, he drew them on a sheet of paper, together with that portion of the coast just discovered, which was opposite to Winter Island, where then they were, and of course well known to her. [Description of the Esquimaux.] We desired her (says Captain Parry) to complete the rest, and to do it mikkee (small), when, with a countenance of the most grave attention and peculiar intelligence, she drew the coast of the continent beyond her own country, as lying nearly north from Winter Island. The most important part still re her answers conveyed the information we desired. In short, Iligluik in February and Iligluik in April were confessedly very different persons; and it was at last amusing to recollect, though not very easy to persuade one's self, that the woman who now sat demurely in a chair, so confidently expecting the notice of those around her, and she who had at first, with eager and wild delight, assisted in cutting snow for the building of a hut, and with the hope of obtaining a single needle, were actually one and the same individual. No kind of distress can deprive the Esquimaux of their cheerful temper and good humour, which they preserve even when severely pinched with hunger and cold, and wholly deprived for days together both of food and fuel-a situation to which they are very frequently reduced. Yet no calamity of this kind can teach them to be provident, or to take the least thought for the morrow; with them, indeed, it is always either a feast or a famine. The, enormous quantity of animal food (they have no other) which they devour at a time is almost incredible. The quantity of meat which they procured between the first of October and the first of April was sufficient to have furnished about double the number of working people, who were moderate eaters, and had any idea of providing for a future day; but to individuals who can demolish four or five pounds at a sitting, and at least ten in the course of a day, and who never bestow a thought on to-morrow, at least with the view to provide for it by economy, there is scarcely any supply which could secure them from occasional scarcity. It is highly probable that the alternate feasting and fasting to which the gluttony and improvidence of these people so constantly subject them, may have oc casioned many of the complaints that proved fatal during the winter; and on this account we hardly knew whether to rejoice or not at the general success of their fishery. A third expedition was undertaken by Captain Parry, assisted by Captain Hoppner, in 1824, but it proved still more unfortunate. The broken ice in Baffin's Bay retarded his progress until the season was too far advanced for navigation in that climate. After the winter broke up, huge masses of ice drove the ships on shore, and the Fury' was so much injured, that it was deemed necessary to abandon her with all her stores. In April 1827 Captain Parry once more sailed in the Hecla,' to realise, if possible, his sanguine expectations; but on this occasion he projected reaching the North Pole by employing light boats and sledges, which might be alternately used, as compact fields of ice, or open sea, interposed in his route. On reaching Hecla Cove they left the ship to commence their journey on the ice. Vigorous efforts were made to reach the Pole, still 500 miles distant; but the various impediments they had to encounter, and particularly the drifting of the snow-fields, frustrated all their endeavours; and after two months spent on the ice, and penetrating about a degree farther than any previous expedition, the design was abandoned. These four expeditions were described by Captain Parry in separate volumes, which were read with great avidity. The whole have since been published in six small volumes, constituting one of the most interesting series of adventures and discoveries recorded in our language. 160 miles still remained unexplored. In 1829 Captain, now Sir John Ross, disappointed at being outstripped by Captain Parry in the discovery of the strait leading into the Polar sea, equipped a steam-vessel, solely from private resources, and proceeded to Baffin's Bay. It was a bold but inconsiderate undertaking, and every soul who embarked on it must have perished, but for the ample supplies they received from the Fury, or rather from the provisions and stores which, by the providence of Captain Parry, had been carefully stored up on the beach; for the ship herself had entirely disappeared. He proceeded down Regent's Inlet as far as he could in his little ship, the Victory; placed her amongst ice clinging to the shore, and after two winters, left her there; and in returning to the northward, by great good luck fell in with a whaling ship, which took them all on board and brought them home.' Captain James Ross, nephew of the commander, collected some geographical information in the course of this unfortunate enterprise. The interval of 160 miles between Point Barrow, reached by Beechey's master, and the farthest point to which Captain Franklin penetrated, was in 1837 surveyed by MR THOMAS SIMPSON and the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company. The latter had with great generosity lent their valuable assistance to complete the geography of that region, and Mr Simpson was enthusiastically devoted to the same object. In the summer of 1837 he, with his senior officer, Mr Dease, started from the Great Slave Lake, following the steps of Franklin as far as the point called Franklin's Farthest, whence they traced the remainFollowing out the plan of northern discovery, an der of the coast to the westward to Point Barrow, by expedition was, in 1819, despatched overland to pro- which they completed our knowledge of this coast ceed from the Hudson's Bay factory, tracing the the whole way west of the Coppermine River, as far coast of the Northern ocean. This expedition was as Behring's Straits. Wintering at the north-east commanded by CAPTAIN JOHN FRANKLIN, accom-angle of the Great Bear Lake, the party descended panied by Dr Richardson, a scientific gentleman; the Coppermine River, and followed the coast easttwo midshipmen-Mr Hood and Mr Back-and two wards as far as the mouth of the Great Fish River, English seamen. The journey to the Coppermine discovered by Back in 1834. The expedition comRiver displayed the characteristic ardour and hardi-prised the navigation of a tempestuous ocean beset hood of British seamen. Great suffering was expe- with ice, for a distance exceeding 1400 geographical rienced. Mr Hood lost his life, and Captain Franklin or 1600 statute miles, in open boats, together with and Dr Richardson were on the point of death, when all the fatigues of long land journeys and the perils timely succour was afforded by some Indians. The of the climate.' In 1839 the Geographical Society results of this journey, which, including the navi- of London rewarded Mr Simpson with a medal for gation along the coast, extended to 5500 miles, are advancing almost to completion the solution of the obviously of the greatest importance to geography. great problem of the configuration of the northern As the coast running northward was followed to Cape shore of the North American continent.' While Turnagain, in latitude 68 degrees, it is evident returning to Europe in June 1840, Mr Simpson died, that if a north-west passage exist, it must be it is supposed, by his own hand in a paroxysm of found beyond that limit. The narratives of Cap- insanity, after shooting two of the four men who tain Franklin, Dr Richardson, and Mr Back, form a accompanied him from the Red River colony. Mr fitting and not less interesting sequel to those of Simpson was a native of Dingwall, in Ross-shire, and Captain Parry. The same intrepid parties under- at the time of his melancholy death, was only in his took, in 1823, a second expedition to explore the thirty-second year. His Narrative of the Discoveries shores of the Polar seas. The coast between the on the North Coast of America, Effected by the Officers Mackenzie and Coppermine rivers, 902 miles, was of the Hudson's Bay Company during the years 1836-39, examined. Subsequent expeditions were undertaken was published in 1843. by CAPTAIN LYON and CAPTAIN BEECHEY. The former failed through continued bad weather; but Captain Beechey having sent his master, Mr Elson, in a barge to prosecute the voyage to the east, that individual penetrated to a sandy point, on which the ice had grounded, the most northern part of the continent then known. Captain Franklin had, only four days previous, been within 160 miles of this point, when he commenced his return to the Mackenzie River, and it is conjectured, with much probability, that had he been aware that by persevering in his exertions for a few days he might have reached his friends, it is possible that a knowledge of the circumstance might have induced him, through all hazards, to continue his journey. The intermediate Valuable information connected with the Arctic regions was afforded by MR WILLIAM SCORESBY, a gentleman who, while practising the whale fishing, had become the most learned observer and describer of the regions of ice. His account of the Northern Whale Fishery, 1822, is a standard work of great value, and he is author also of an Account of the Arctic Regions. EASTERN TRAVELLERS. The scenes and countries mentioned in Scripture have been frequently described since the publica tions of Dr Clarke. BURCKHARDT traversed Petræs (the Edom of the prophecies); MR WILLIAN RAE [View of Society in Bagdad.] [From Sir R. K. Porter's Travels.'] WILSON, in 1823, published Travels in Egypt and the Holy Land; MR CLAUDIUS JAMES RICH (the accomplished British resident at Bagdad, who died in 1821, at the early age of thirty-five) wrote an The wives of the higher classes in Bagdad are excellent memoir of the remains of Babylon; the usually selected from the most beautiful girls that can HON. GEORGE KEPPEL performed the overland be obtained from Georgia and Circassia; and, to their journey to India in 1824, and gave a narrative of natural charms, in like manner with their captive his observations in Bassorah, Bagdad, the ruins of sisters all over the East, they add the fancied embelBabylon, &c. MR J. S. BUCKINGHAM also travelled lishments of painted complexions, hands and feet dyed by the overland route (taking, however, the way with henna, and their hair and eyebrows stained with of the Mediterranean and the Turkish provinces the rang, or prepared indigo leaf. Chains of gold, in Asia Minor), and the result of his journey was and collars of pearls, with various ornaments of precious given to the world in three separate works (the stones, decorate the upper part of their persons, while latest published in 1827), entitled Travels in Pales-solid bracelets of gold, in shapes resembling serpents, tine; Travels among the Arab Tribes; and Tra- clasp their wrists and ankles. Silver and golden vels in Mesopotamia. DR R. R. MADDEN, a medical tissued muslins not only form their turbans, but fregentleman, who resided several years in India, in quently their under garments. In summer the ample 1829 published Travels in Egypt, Turkey, Nubia, and pelisse is made of the most costly shawl, and in cold Palestine. Letters from the East, and Recollections of weather, lined and bordered with the choicest furs. Travel in the East (1830), by JOHN CARNE, Esq. of The dress is altogether very becoming; by its easy Queen's college, Cambridge, extend, the first over folds and glittering transparency, showing a fine shape Syria and Egypt, and the second over Palestine and to advantage, without the immodest exposure of the Cairo. Mr Carne is a judicious observer and pic-open vest of the Persian ladies. The humbler females turesque describer, yet he sometimes ventures on generally move abroad with faces totally unveiled, doubtful biblical criticism. The miracle of the pas- having a handkerchief rolled round their heads, from sage of the Red Sea, for example, he thinks should beneath which their hair hangs down over their shoulbe limited to a specific change in the direction of the ders, while another piece of linen passes under their winds. The idea of representing the waves stand- chin, in the fashion of the Georgians. Their garment ing like a wall on each side must consequently be is a gown of a shift form, reaching to their ankles, abandoned. This,' he says, is giving a literal in- open before, and of a gray colour. Their feet are comterpretation to the evidently figurative language of pletely naked. Many of the very inferior classes stain Scripture, where it is said that "God caused the their bosoms with the figures of circles, half-moons, sea to go back all night by a strong east wind;" stars, &c. in a bluish stamp. In this barbaric embeland when the morning dawned, there was probably of vanity resembling that of the ladies of Irak Ajem. lishment the poor damsel of Irak Arabi has one point a wide and waste expanse, from which the waters had retired to some distance; and that the " The former frequently adds this frightful cadaverous returning in his strength in the morning," was the hue to her lips; and, to complete her savage appearrushing back of an impetuous and resistless tide, with a flat button-like ornament set round with blue ance, thrusts a ring through the right nostril, pendent inevitable, but not instantaneous, for it is evident the Egyptians turned and fled at its approach.' In either case a miracle must have been performed, whom we left in some gay saloon of Bagdad. When But to return to the ladies of the higher circles, and it seems unnecessary and hypercritical to at-all are assembled, the evening meal or dinner is soon tempt reducing it to the lowest point. Mr Milman, in his history of the Jews, has fallen into this error, and explained away the miracles of the Old Testament till all that is supernatural, grand, and impressive disappears. Travels along the Mediterranean and Parts Ad-produced, when pilaus, kabobs, preserves, fruits, dried sweetmeats, and sherbets of every fabric and flavour, jacent (1822), by DR ROBERT RICHARDSON, is an engage the fair convives for some time. Between this interesting work, particularly as relates to anti-second banquet and the preceding, the perfumed narquities. The doctor travelled by way of Alexan- quilly is never absent from their rosy lips, excepting dria, Cairo, &c. to the second cataract of the Nile, when they sip coffee, or indulge in a general shout of returning by Jerusalem, Damascus, Balbec, and approbation, or a hearty peal of laughter at the freaks Tripoli. He surveyed the temple of Solomon, and of the dancers or the subject of the singers' madrigals. was the first acknowledged Christian received within But no respite is given to the entertainers; and, durits holy walls since it has been appropriated to the ing so long a stretch of merriment, should any of the religion of Mohammed. The Journal to Some Parts of happy guests feel a sudden desire for temporary reEthiopia (1822), by MESSRS WADDINGTON and HAN- pose, without the least apology she lies down to sleep BURY, gives an account of the antiquities of Ethio- on the luxurious carpet that is her seat; and thus she pia and the extirpation of the Mamelukes. remains, sunk in as deep an oblivion as if the nummud were spread in her own chamber. Others speedily follow her example, sleeping as sound; notwithstand sea or red stones. served. The party, seated in rows, then prepare themselves for the entrance of the show, which, consisting of music and dancing, continues in noisy exhibition through the whole night. At twelve o'clock supper is SIR JOHN MALCOLM was author of a History of Persia, and Sketches of Persia. MR MORIER'S Journeys through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, abounding that the bawling of the singers, the horrid jangling in interesting descriptions of the country, people, of the guitars, the thumping on the jar-like doubleand government. SIR WILLIAM OUSELY (who had drum, the ringing and loud clangour of the metal bells been private secretary to the British embassy in and castanets of the dancers, with an eternal talking Persia) has published three large volumes of travels in all keys, abrupt laughter, and vociferous expressions in various countries of the East, particularly Persia, of gratification, making in all a full concert of disin 1810, 1811, and 1812. This work illustrates sub-tracting sounds, sufficient, one might suppose, to jects of antiquarian research, history, geography, philology, &c. and is valuable to the scholar for its citations from rare Oriental manuscripts. Another valuable work on this country is SIR ROBERT KER PORTER'S Travels in Georgia, Persia, Babylonia, &c. published in 1822. awaken the dead. But the merry tumult and joyful strains of this conviviality gradually become fainter and fainter; first one and then another of the visitors (while even the performers are not spared by the soporific god) sink down under the drowsy influence, till at length the whole carpet is covered with the sleeping |