REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS; ORIGINAL ESSAYS ON POLITE LITERATURE, THE ARTS AND SCIENCES; BIOGRAPHY; CORRESPONDENCE OF DISTINGUISHED PERSONS; ANECDOTES, JEUX D'ESPRIT, &c.; SKETCHES OF SOCIETY AND MANNERS; PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC AND LEARNED SOCIETIES; LONDON: PRINTED BY JAMES MOYES, CASTLE STREET, LEICESTER SQUARE: PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETORS, AT THE LITERARY GAZETTE OFFICE, WELLINGTON STREET, Waterloo bridgE, STRAND: 1834. AND Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c. This Journal is supplied Weekly, or Monthly, by the principal Booksellers and Newsmen, throughout the Kingdom; but to those who may require its immediate transmission by post, we recommend the LITERARY GAZETTE printed on stamped paper, price One Shilling. No. 885. SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1834. PRICE 8d. The "It was settled," says Mr. Heriot, in a larly handsome. After about twenty minutes REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. manuscript journal found among his papers conversation in the way I have described, his The Annual Biography and Obituary. 1834. after his decease, "that I should have the majesty made me a most graceful inclination Vol. XVIII. 8vo. pp. 476. London, Long- honour of presenting my volume to his majesty with his head, and went into the breakfastman and Co. on the first levee day; but by some mistake room. He was dressed in a plain purple coat THE present volume of this long-established the intimation of this arrangement was not (there being then a court mourning), which necrological publication contains twenty-three given to me in time, and I could not appear at was single-breasted, and buttoned up to his separate and principal Memoirs, and an ex-the levee. Mortified at this mistake, I re- chin; and, but for the colour of his coat, and tensive Biographical Index. Most of the former solved to go next morning to Kew, at which the star upon his breast, was as plainly clad as relate to individuals who were highly distin-place their majesties, with the elder princesses, any private gentleman. As I had a volume to guished in their respective stations. To advert were then residing; I took a post-chaise, and present to the queen likewise, I waited in the to some of them: The annals of even British reached the palace at Kew soon after eight hall until she should come down stairs, which glory cannot boast of nobler heroes than Ex- o'clock. I was in the uniform of the marines she did in about five minutes. I approached mouth and Blackwood; in Wilberforce the (to which corps I had belonged), and was usher.her, and held out my book, which, immediately cause of philanthropy has lost its most eloquent, ed into a room where I found the page in wait- stopping, she received most graciously. We zealous, and triumphant advocate; among the ing. I communicated to him my business, and were about the middle of the hall. She asked popular viceroys of Ireland (unfortunately, a he immediately went up a hall, at the upper me if I was married? if I lived in London ? and scanty list), Fitzwilliam stands conspicuous; end of which he opened a door upon the left.if I had any children? While thus conversing, the history of Malcolm will henceforth be in- In half a minute he came out again, and I saw the three eldest princesses came down stairs. separable from that of Indian diplomacy and the king following him close behind, peeping They came up the hall to go to the breakfastgovernment; never did theatrical meteor blaze first over one shoulder of the page, and then room; and, as they passed, the queen, in a capfor a while with more splendour than Kean; over the other. The page beckoned me to ap-tivating manner, said, 'Mr. Heriot, that is the superstition has been relieved from one of its proach, which I immediately did in the most Princess Augusta (who came down first), that firmest, although one of its mildest foes, by the respectful manner; and his majesty's reception is the Princess Elizabeth, and that is the Prindeath of Rammohun Roy; "married to" the of me was most gracious, condescending, and cess Royal (who was the last of the three).' "immortal verse" of Moore, the charming encouraging. I felt at first, as probably every They each curtsied as they passed, and to each, musical compositions of Stevenson are destined man feels if he would frankly own it, some little of course, I made a very profound bow. to equal duration; there have been many agitation of mind upon being so near, and alone queen then, graciously smiling upon me, curtmore fortunate travellers, but few who have with, a personage filling the first situation on sied, and followed the princesses to the breakundergone such severe hardships, or manifested the face of the earth, for such I hold the fast-room. It is impossible to describe the pleasuch indomitable perseverance, as Lyon; than throne of England to be: but the king's man- surable emotions which filled my heart from Brookes, no man, since the days of Hunter, has ner soon dissipated every unpleasant sensation, all that had passed. I stood gazing, in the most more successfully cultivated anatomical science; and inspired me with confidence and ease. He respectful attitude, upon the breakfast-room and the names of Rowland Hill and Hannah took the book very gracefully from my hand, door, till it closed upon her majesty; and then, More will long recall ideas of fervent piety and and walked up the hall, but in such a way, raised many degrees in my own estimation, from spotless moral excellence. speaking to me graciously all the while, that the benignity and condescension of which I had It unavoidably happens, however, that of I found myself, without knowing it, walking been the object, walking slowly down the hall, such eminent persons as those whom we have up by his side. He stopped at a window at the re-entered the waiting-room, where the page enumerated, the biographer, or at least (as in top of the hall, looking into Kew Gardens, and congratulated me on my very gracious recepthis case) the immediate biographer, may collect on one side was the breakfast-room door. He tion, which he at a distance had witnessed.” and condense what has hitherto been scattered, there stood, with me at his elbow, sometimes and, perhaps, prolix; but can seldom tell the talking of Gibraltar, and sometimes adverting world more than what, under other forms, it to other topics. Of the print which my volume knows already. But there are many indi- was intended to illustrate, he observed, It is viduals who, although less prominent in their too black, it is too black.' He asked me, position in society, have nevertheless evinced naturally enough,-for as I have stated I was qualities which ought to prevent their memory in the uniform of the marines, where I had from perishing; and it is, principally, in the served; and when I told him that I had been notices of such individuals that much original wounded in his majesty's service, he directed matter can fairly be expected. For instance, towards me a look of peculiar kindness and com-ing. in the volume before us, the Memoir of John placency. His majesty spoke much, and with Heriot, Esq., the late comptroller of Chelsea great rapidity. His ideas seemed to flow too Hospital, presents a pleasing and novel picture fast for utterance. I stood all the time so close of the early struggles of that able and honour- to him, that his elbow sometimes very nearly able man with adversity, and his ultimate touched my breast. He invited this near aptriumph over all his difficulties. From this proach by pointing to something in the book. I memoir we will extract a passage (in Mr. He was very much struck with the softness and riot's own words), which exhibits in an inter- beauty of the king's features. At a distance esting point of view the domestic life of that they seemed rather strongly marked; and that benevolent sovereign George III., and his is the impression which a stranger would reamiable consort. Mr. Heriot had drawn up a ceive from viewing his head upon the coin, or narrative of the siege of Gibraltar, and a de- seeing him across a theatre; but, when close to "Admiral Lord Viscount Keith died lately tailed account of the celebrated sortie which him, every feature is softened into the most at his seat in Scotland. He was writing letters was made by the garrison, to accompany a pleasing species of beauty of which, perhaps, a after breakfast, and had written one to his print of the sortie, from a drawing by Mrs. man's face is susceptible; and this I conceive to brother-in-law, William Adam, lord chief comPoggi of that glorious achievement. The vo- arise very much from the cheerful and un-missioner of the Jury Court at Edinburgh, lume was dedicated, with permission, to his clouded serenity of his virtuous mind. In his which he had enclosed in a frank, but not Majesty George III. youth, I think the king must have been singu. I sealed, as he intended to add a letter to his The following anecdotes, which, with many others, were found in the journal we have already mentioned, are amusing enough: "One day, at a large dinner party, at which his late majesty, then Prince of Wales, was present, a gentleman sitting next to Dr. Mosely, the physician of Chelsea Hospital, to whom he was a perfect stranger, abruptly asked the doctor what wine he thought best for general drinkSir,' said Mosely, very gravely, in my house, port; but in yours, claret.' The prince, who overheard the conversation, applauded the reply, and enjoyed it vastly." 6 Sir Samuel Hulse, walking in the Little Park, at Windsor, with George III., pointed to some fine ricks of hay, and observed to the king that it was excellent for his majesty's hunters, being of a very superior quality; and that his majesty had a good stock of it. Yes,' said the king, and to sell too-but not to the master of the horse; his is such bad pay!" |