As the ship is sinking, Proteus attempts to violate Angelica, who calls out from the shore,"

Help, Ferdinand, help! the sea-god will compel me !55*** This disturbance calls up old Neptune, who shakes his trident at and Proteus, and orders his Tritons to take him into custody, bind him in secular chains; and Amphitrite, who makes her appearance at the same time, commands her nymphs to do the same with Cælatis. Every thing concludes happily:

• Proteus now is made to groan
Underneath his em'rald throne;
And by his queen is Ferd'nand sped

To thy (Prospero's) daughter's holy bed,
Where Hymen stands :'

-but we must go no farther, and must drop the curtain.

Art. 17. The Narrative of a Journey, undertaken in the Years 1819, 1820, and 1821, through France, Italy, Savoy, Switzerland, Parts of Germany bordering on the Rhine, Holland, and the Netherlands; comprising Incidents that occurred to the Author, who has long suffered under a total Deprivation of Sight; with various Points of Information collected on his Tour. By James Holman, R. N. and K. W. 8vo. pp. 356. 13. Boards. Rivingtons. 1822.

We understand that Mr. Holman is a lieutenant in the navy, but has unfortunately been cut off from the farther pursuit of his profession by the total deprivation of sight. In these circumstances, for the amusement of his mind and the benefit of his health, he determined on undertaking a tour on the Continent; and despising not only the idea of helplessness which seizes most • people who have become blind, but the similar feeling which might spring from his almost total ignorance of the French language, he determined on setting forth alone. His natural good spirits and disposition to be pleased, united with the habit of resource which naval men acquire, enabled him to accomplish with gratification and facility a design which most men would have feared to cherish, and still more have failed to effect: but it was absolutely impossible that, under these circumstances, he could write a book which should convey much new information to readers of continental travels, in descriptions of either places or persons. Mr. Holman, however, has really done more in both respects than we could have anticipated; and his easy and pleasant style of recording his adventures will make his book agreeable, while the extraordinary nature of the case must render it a matter of curiosity. We shall quote a few samples of the author's mode of writing. bos Toulouse, in point of extent, is considered the third town in France, but, in proportion to that extent, far less populous than many other of its cities: it possesses some good public buildings,

as

as well as modern private houses, but the general appearance is very antiquated; the streets are narrow and dirty, and what is a great annoyance in walking along them, when it rains you are almost sure to be spouted upon from the tops of the houses, in consequence of pipes sticking out to throw the water towards the middle of the streets.

There are in this city some good squares, particularly the Place Royale, in which are situated the town-house and theatre; the Place St. George; the Place St. Stephen, containing the cathedral; and also the Place de Bourbon, which is the more eligible point for the residence of a stranger.

Some of the walks around the town are very fine, but the access to them unpleasant, in consequence of the offensive smells proceeding from the narrow streets in their vicinity; this is particularly the case as you approach the fine bridge over the Garonne.

Lodgings, such as they are, are reasonable, and the necessaries of life, of all kinds, abundant, good, and cheap. The town is supplied with water from the river; this indispensable article being carted about in casks through the streets at all hours, The stranger will also notice a number of asses, which are driven about the town, to supply invalids with their milk.

I declined participating much in the society of the place, but both the French and English residents are sociably inclined. It is not, however, the fashion among the former to make morningvisits, and give dinner-parties, but their houses are open for their friends every evening, and on appointed nights they visit in large parties, and amuse themselves with conversation, singing, cards, or dancing.

A theatre was open during a part of the winter, and we had two or three public concerts, as well as a variety of private ones by amateur-performers, particularly during the season of the Carnival, which finished on the 14th of February, and exhibited all its usual variety of masks, grotesque characters, and buffoonery; these concerts were only given on the Sunday afternoon, immediately after leaving church.

There are a few customs, and points of etiquette, which it may be interesting to notice.

When a stranger arrives at Toulouse, and wishes to enter into society, he leaves his card with the prefect, who, after returning his call, sends him invitations to the public parties, which he gives once or twice in the week, when he has the opportunity of seeing the best company of the place.

"

On new-year's day, it is the custom (although I believe the same is common to most parts of the Continent) to call on all friends, and present the ladies with fruits, toys, trinkets, or bonbons, under some ingenious deceptions, and which it is generally expected will be accompanied by a salute; therefore, if you have an extensive acquaintance, it is indispensable to set out, loaded with smiles, compliments, and presents.

I scarely feel competent to speak of the various ceremonies of the Gallican church here, but when an Englishman dies, it is

customary

customary to send the following notice to the various residents from his country, requesting their attendance at the funeral: 1

a

«Vous êtes prié par M et M de leur faire l'honnuer d'assister à l'inhumation de M, qui aura lieu le heure du. Le convoi sortira de sa maison d'habitation. "Pax illi

તે

Genoa is thus described:

The narrowness of the streets prevented our coach from ·· setting me down at the hotel to which I had been recommended ; this is not, however, to be regarded as any evidence of its want of respectability, for the same objection lies against almost every other hotel in Genoa: for there are but three streets in the whole city, which will admit of carriages passing each other, and which are, the Strada balba, the Strada nuova, and the Strada novissima, consisting entirely of ranges of palaces.

In the morning, after calling at the post-office and at the British consul's to ascertain the state of the Neapolitan war, I proceeded to explore the town; the weather was, however, wet, cold, and uncomfortable, and I was sensible of a very different climate from that of Nice; indeed, I was informed that, during some of our finest days at the latter place, it rained and snowed at Genoa.

The succeeding day was the last of the Carnival, and a great number of people were parading the streets masked, and in all the fantastic garb of the season; the business, however, appeared to be kept up with more spirit than at Toulouse on the preceding winter. In the course of the evening a friend and myself addressed a female mask, who said she was cook in a gentleman's family, and that she must hasten home to wash the dishes; on parting, we induced her to shake hands with us; and if I am a judge of the affair, I pronounce that her hand had never been in dish-water, for a prettier formed, or more delicate one, I never touched in my life. In the evening, the festival concluded with masked balls at the theatres, and other amusements.

On the following day (Wednesday), the weather was still unfavourable. Several gentlemen, to whom I had forwarded letters from their friends at Nice, called upon me, two of whom conduct-ed me to various parts of the city, and described its beauties. It is surrounded by two walls; an inner one, taking in a circumference:' of six or seven miles, and an outer one, making a boundary of not less than thirteen miles, and enclosing various rising grounds which command the city: there are two fine bridges over small rivers, one in the eastern, the other in the western part of the town.

Independent of the three streets which I have already named, Genoa consists of little better than lanes, so numerous and intricate, that a stranger is constantly losing his way; and even those who have been some time resident are not unfrequently at a loss. The cathedral, churches, Doge's palace, and various other public as well as private buildings, are very fine, and well worth the attention of the traveller.

There

There is an Italian proverb relative to Genoa, which says, that it has sea without fish; land without trees; and men without faith." The first of these accusations I am satisfied is without foundation; for I was given to understand that fish, as well as all other provisions, were plentiful, and even cheaper than at Nice. The wine of the country is not considered good, but plenty of excellent Italian and French wines may be purchased at a reasonable rate the best and cheapest way of procuring them is to go on board some vessel in the port, taste the different qualities, and select what pleases the palate; any quantity may then be ordered, but it is necessary to be provided with a porter or two to carry it away immediately, and to take care not to lose sight of it, until it reaches home in safety, or it will run great risk of being changed. Mr. Holman's spirit of enterprize induced him even to ascend the perilous heights of Vesuvius; and indeed, on all occasions, to use a common phrase, he appears 66 up to any thing." His readers, we are sure, will admire his spirit and good humour, and be thus doubly induced to sympathize with him in his irretrievable misfortune: which, however, though we may justly so term it, he seems almost to overcome and "set at nought."

EDUCATION.

Art. 18. Observations sur l'Etude, &c. ; i.e. Observations on the Study of the French Language, &c. By J. Maurois, Professor of that Tongue. 12mo. 6d. Nunn.

These eleven pages of observations on the study of French are chiefly employed in refuting those teachers, who profess to have discovered a royal road" to learning it, and to infuse in six weeks or three months the memorabilia of the language of France.

In fact, although some persons have a livelier recollection or a more active industry than others, yet a given number of repeti tions must intervene before the sound and the sense of a new word can be associated in the human intellect. Different people may require a more or a less persevering practice: but in every generation of men the proportions of such persons will probably be alike. It is only, therefore, by holding out ready scholars as specimens of the average rate of acquirement, that the semblance of increased facility can be exhibited; and there is rather a quackery, to be mistrusted than a skill to be admired, in those who undertake to teach in a quarter the acquisition of a half-year.

M. Manrois enlivens his argument with some philological illus trations, which may amuse the reader.

HISTORY.

Art. 19. The History and Antiquities of the Town of Ludlow, and its ancient Castle; with Lives of the Lord Presidents, and 'descriptive and historical Accounts of Gentlemen's Seats, Villages, &c., in the Neighbourhood; with other Particulars interesting to Strangers and Residents. 12mo. pp. 252. 4s. Boards. Procter and Co., Ludlow; Longman and Co., London. 1822. The antient celebrity of Ludlow, the fine remains of its castle,

and

and the present beauty of its scenery, may well intitle it to a brief manual of its history, for the double purpose of gratifying residents and serving as a guide to strangers. We are told in the preface to the volume before us that, in compiling it, reference has been made in the historical part to the best authorities, the old Chronicles, &c., and that the descriptive part is formed from actual surveys, compared with preceding accounts. Public buildings and charitable institutions are also described, and the principal seats of neighbouring noblemen and gentlemen. The biography of eminent persons, connected with Ludlow, is likewise introduced; and we observe that, among other modern works, the compiler has had recourse to Mr. Turner's History of the Anglo-Saxons, Miss Aikin's Memoirs of the Court of Elizabeth, and the Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain. A view of Ludlow forms a frontispiece; and vignettes of the Market House and Cross, one of the Castle Gates, the entrance of the Chapel, the Church, Whitton Court, and the Broad Gate, are added. A list is moreover subjoined of plants found in the neighbourhood, especially such as are rare, and the native grasses of the district.

Mr. Knight's celebrated seat called Downton Castle is thus described:

Five miles north-west from Ludlow is Downton Castle, the property of R. P. Knight, Esq.: it was erected by its present possessor between 40 and 50 years ago. It is an edifice of peculiar and externally irregular form: but internally every part is very conveniently arranged, without waste of space, its towers being, as good taste and reason point out that such parts should be, large enough for human habitation. It stands upon a terrace on the north side of the river Teme, and is elevated about 100 feet above that river, towards which the ground gradually falls. Upon the opposite side of the river rise the Brindgwood hills, having their bases clothed with extensive groves of large timber, intermixed with pasture-grounds. Towards the east, the Titterstone Clee Hill rises very magnificently over woods, making the scene from the terrace one of the most grand and beautiful in the island.

The walks of Downton, which are well known, and much visited by travellers, extend to the west, following the course of the river which here occupies a deep ravine, that it appears to have worn during the lapse of ages. Upon the sides of this ravine, the rocks have in places, where the texture has been firm, remained perpendicular over the stream; in other parts they have given way and fallen into the course of the river, and been carried away by its impetuosity. The ground consequently rises from each side of the river, in very various and irregular forms; and it is every where clothed with timber; and the river, having a considerable descent and being confined within a narrow course, ripples over a succession of low falls. Much picturesque scenery is consequently presented, which varies as it is beheld from every successive point.

The walks, which have been made at different elevations along the sides of the ravine, have been conducted with much taste and

art,