minded Whigs must now confess that the zealots of the party went a little too far; and it has occurred to more than one to regret the rashness of the meeting at the Pantheon to address the late Queen. But of this enough. His Majesty is too much of a scholar and a gentleman to disregard known talents for a little aberration of judgment, and his present ministers are too wise and too prudent unnecessarily to call up disagreeable recollections. Among the other desirable consequences of the Royal Visit, it has had the effect, more than any thing we know, of striking out, by the friendly collision of the crowds at the Levee, new sparks of genius in the Scotish capital, of which, to say no more, the last Number of the Edinburgh Review, and Blackwood's Magazine for September, are ever-during specimens.

“Of our own work, it becomes us not to speak; but the friendly and manly tone in which we are mentioned by Mr North, in his December Magazine, calls forth our unaffected acknowledgments. Liberal-minded and upright men ought to be above the little selfish passions which actuate vulgar souls; and both Mr North and ourselves have done too much for the literature of our country to fear that our motives may be misrepresented. Violent and uncalled for personalities have been attributed to us both by those, who, if they were asked what the word meant, would be difficulted for an answer; and we have both been unnecessarily blamed for exposing the shallows of learning and the cant of party-spirit, as if it were possible to criticise the one or discuss the other, without reference to the books or persons in which they are most offensively prominent. It has been said, that the object of both is to serve party purposes—that Mr North has eye to the Governor-generalship of a distant colony, and that our views are directed to certain official offices and emolu. ments to which in certain circumstances we might be appointed. But we can answer for ourselves, that we shall accept of no office to which we have not a fair claim; and we are morally certain, that our great contemporary is equally beyond the reach of mercenary motives. We may both be occasionally mistaken in our views of the present, and in our calculations of the future, but in all cases we write from the purest principles, and with a view to what appears to us to be the public good for the time. In Scotland, we are proud to say, that there are no Cobbetts nor Hunts, and only one Joseph Hume.

“To return, however, to the subject which has called forth these observations, the Royal Number of Blackwood's Magazine, of which a second edition has been advertised, and which we sincerely hope will be speedily bought up, contains more solid reasoning, infinitely more wit and humour, and a larger portion of good sense and good feeling, than any twenty volumes we could name since we began our critical labours. As a model of fine writing, we consider it equal to the best passages of Playfair and Stewart, while, in wit and humour, and playful satire, it equals, in some respects, what the public have been accustomed to applaud in our earlier essays. To particularize any of the articles, would be an injury to the others; and we could not venture to quote one passage, without transcribing the whole. We cannot, however, retrain from pointing out a singular fact, in confirmation of a hypothesis which we have often advanced, that the intellectual faculties of the human species are not to be judged of by the bulk of the corporeal frame. We had occasion to see our respectable friend, Omai, at his Majesty's Levee, and met him more than once afterwards in private society; and though a little dark-complexioned man, scarcely perhaps so tall as ourselves, yet his striking aptitude for information, and the correctness of his general views, so well exemplified in his picturesque account of the joyous reception of the King, augur well for the rising civilization of the island which gave him birth. We could dilate with pleasure on this subject; but the limits which our publishers have assigned to this Supplement compel us to stop. We may resume the subject in a fu-ture number.”

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THE EDINBURGH MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL.

“Regarding the efficacy of stimulants in chronic discases, accompanied by derangement of the mental powers, the letters of our correspondents for the last quarter, and from every part of the empire, bear strong testimony. From recent circumstances, too, it would seem that mental stimulants have a more

specdy effect, than those preparations under that name, introduced into the stomach, and mentioned in our Dispensatories : For instance, our letters from New Galloway say, that the fever which had been brought to that town by some Irish vagrants, and which was attended with fatal effects in a great number of cases, totally and suddenly ceased in two days after the Number of Blackwood's Magazine for September arrived there. Our correspondent in Paisley announces the same fact, in a kind of incipient madness, which had prevailed there at intervals for three years, but which was totally checked on the first of October, by the appearance of the Royal Number, which the affected devoured greedily, and the excellent Professor of Medicine in the College of Glasgow publicly declared in his class, at the commencement of the present session, that it had acted as a specific in most cases of Typhus Radicalis and Hydrorexia.

" In the North of England, we are happy to state, that the Orange fever has been on the decline since the 5th of October; and in the narrow and confined streets of Dublin, inhabited chiefly by the poorer class of citizens, few cases of Furor pugnacitas have occurred since the arrival of the packet with four bales of Blackwood's Magazine.

“The accounts from Manchester and the West of England are equally favourable, no cases of Phrenitis Radicalis, or Delirium Huntia, having been seen at the hospitals since the 15th of October. The two bad cases of Insanitas, accompanied by total loss of memory, which we formerly mentioned as having occurred in August last, at No. 166, High Street, Edinburgh, are the only ones, which, to our knowledge, have resisted the powerful stimulus of the Royal Number. The disease has now assumed the character of low conti. nued fever, which threatens to end in hopeless fatuity. It is needless to mention, that blistering, cupping, and profuse bleeding, had been previously tried by Drs Stevenson and Nimmo, who had been called in on the appearance of the first symptoms, without success ;-scarification and the actual cautery had been proposed, but the remedy was thought too harsh. We are happy, however, to state, from the information of the fever-committee, that there is now no danger of the contagion spreading, provided proper precautions are taken, and enforced by the magistrates and others concerned.

“We conclude, with declaring our belief in the efficacy of Blackwood's Magazine, as one of the best stimulants to nervous energy with which we are acquainted ; and those to whom the public health is of importance, would do well to give it a fair trial, particularly in Delirium Constitutionale, D. Tuzator, D. Nobilitas, D. Agraria, D. Infidelitas, and the other species of this tantalizing disease."

The New EDINBURGH REVIEW AND PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL. “ Blackwood's Magazine, No. LXVIII.-In our Number for October 1821, at the conclusion of the article on Mob Power, we maintained the policy of Royal Visits, and claimed one for Scotland; and, in this instance, we claim the merit of having convinced the Privy-Council, and his Majesty himself, of the propriety of our advice. The result shows that we were not mistaken—the King arrived in the Frith of Forth in the begining of August last; and if Scotland has been benefited by the presence of her Monarch, we trust the public will not forget the share the conductors of the New Edinburgh Review had in bringing about this desirable event.*

“Although much has already been written upon this great theme, with every

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Lord Melville, Mr Peele, and Sir William Knighton, give a very different ac. count from all this. Not one member of the Privy-Council, we dare say, ever saw the l'hrenological Review, and three-fourths of them are not at this moment aware of its existence. We should not be surprised, after this plumper, to find it asserted that the writers of that journal dictatcd Bruce's Travels, brought home the Elgin Marbles, or were the authors of Don Juan and the Scotch Novels. The Observer newspaper mentions, that an admirable paper on Salt, in this same Review, was the true cause of the repcal of the Salt Tax; but we should as soon believe that the worthy editor of that paper, and not the Duke of Wellington, beat the French at Waterloo.

129 variety of talent, we think that the work before us is of a different class from all its contemporaries, and totally eclipses them all. It is partly didactic, and partly descriptive-partly in prose, and partly in verse-partly humorous, and partly grave-inculcating the noblest lessons in the finest style of reflection, and describing, with great vivacity, perfect truth, and the most generous enthusiasm-scenes which will indeed live long in the memory of the present generation of Scotsmen, but of which even the delighted witnesses must desire to preserve this admirable record. The whole of this incomparable Number, we have been informed, was written by the Great Unknown, with the exception of one paper, at the particular request of his Majesty; and it is said the publisher paid no less than four thousand guineas for the manuscript. We cannot, however, vouch for the truth of this on our own personal knowledge; but, be that as it may, the author's great aim, and he has had the skill to execute his purpose, is to combine a lively description of recent events with the grand moral and political reflections to which they give rise.

" As we are assured that any comment of ours on a work such as this would be worse than superfluous, we give the contents of the Number at full length, assured that the work will be permanently popular-unless, indeed, we have miscalculated the literary taste and the loyal enthusiasm of the country.

“Before closing the delightful subject, however, we would direct the attention of our readers to one paper, strikingly calculated to illustrate the doctrines of Phrenology, which we have elsewhere maintained—we mean the Royal Days Entertainments, by Omai the Traveller.” Knowing that a gentleman, eminently skilled in Phrenology, had examined the developement of Omai's head upwards of three years ago, we endeavoured, by a careful analysis of his narrative, to discern what faculties were strong, and what less vigorous in his mind. For instance, finding that he always mentions the ladies with peculiar animation, we were induced to set down the amative feeling (that almost universal ingredient in the human male) as not deficient in Omai. His rising in the Parliament House at the Banquet, to make a speech after the Duke of Hamilton had finished his unexpected harangue, and his appearance in Mr Blackwood's shop with a club, when he received a message from Glengarry, shew that self-esteem, combativeness, and destructiveness, were in ample proportion. The allusion to his wife in Otaheite, in the verses which he has composed, demonstrate that individuality and philoprogenitiveness were leading parts of his cerebral organization; and his adoption of the Highland costume at the Levee, his temerity in shaking hands with his Majesty when he embarked, and his companionship with Lord Fife and Mr North, are pretty strong evidences that colouring, self-esteem, and adhesiveness, would be found strongly marked. The red painted waggons of Mr Morton, which he commissioned for the King, his admiration of the mouse-trap, and his efforts at making of nails, shew that he possessed the organ of acquia, sitiveness and constructiveness ; and his similies and expressions of novelty may, without straining, be thought to indicate ideality and wonder. Such were the leading features of Omai’s head, as they occurred to us, on a careful perusal of his narrative. Let us now see the connection between the inferred development and the real development, as noted by the eminent individual to whom we have alluded, and the present President

of the Phrenological Society. The terms of comparison increase in this order' moderate'— rather fullfull large very large'-extraordinary.' Organs of Faculties.

Size inferred. 1. Amativeness,

full.

I examined the head of Omai' 2. Combativeness,

very large.

the traveller, and found it to be 3. Destructiveness, full.

an oblate spheroid, without any 4. Individuality,

very large.

distinctive mark, other than a 5. Philoprogenitiveness, extraordinary. gnomon-like excrescence about 6. Colouring,

full.

the middle, and a gash a little 7. Self-esteem,

very large.

further down, resembling, the 8. Acquisitiveness, moderate. scar in a turnip, which had been 9. Adhesiveness, "large.

produced by growing close to a 10. Constructiveness, moderate.

sharp stone. 11. Ideality and wonder,' extraordinary.

LOUSETRAPIUS. 12. Wit,

Size ascertained.

“On comparing the previous sketch with the result of the examination, we were rather disappointed at the result, although Omai's case, as well as Haggart's, afforded peculiar facilities for establishing the doctrine. The author of the Gathering of the West' politely refused to allow his head to be manupilized by the same hands that so successfully developed the cerebral organization of Haggart the murderer. However, we hope our successors in the Phrenological Society, if he dies within Britain, will not fail to secure his head, as well as that of the Great Unknown, for the benefit of science. Professor Leslie's and Mr Tickler's may not be unworthy of looking after, with the same view, when they shall have shuffled off this mortal coil.' The head of the author of the - Sorrows of the Stot,' if the whole Number be not the work of the Great Unknown, should display a superabundance of the organs of wit, ideality, veneration, and righteousness, with respectable bumps of combativeness and destructiveness, which we have no doubt the Scotsman finds to his cost. We had a great deal more equally instructive to say on this subject, but we must conclude at present with recommending to our readers, if they wish to be good subjects and good men, to study with earnestness the Royal Number of Blackwood's Magazine, and regularly take out the New Edinburgh Review."

THE CHRISTIAN MONITOR. “ Honour the King.” 1 Pet. ii. 17. Various have been the opinions of divines, in different ages, upon the import of these words. In the original Greek, the word Topen' —honour, laus,-implies, honour, esteem, and respect; and when, as in the words which we have quoted, this honour, esteem, and respect, is taken in connection with the other clause of the sentence, THE King, this by no means implies, that the honour, esteem, and respect of subjects is required in the same degree to foreign or outlandish magistrates, but is only required by the Apostle to the reigning Sovereign, under whom we are for the time. But whether this honour, esteem, and respect is due to all and every King, whatever may be his public or private character, (a proposition which a paper called the Scotsman, and circulated among the unlearned, doubteth,) or whether this honour, esteem, and respect, is necessarily limited to a King worthy

a of them, has long been a matter of argument among commentators. (See Euseb. St August. and Horsley, in loco.). We hope we do not err in giving it as our opinion, that honour, esteem, and respect, are eminently due to the first magistrate of every country where a contrary conduct would be unsafe ; but, in our own country, primarily to the Protestant succession, established at the Revolution in 1688, and eminently to the person of his present most gracious Majesty, the most entire honour, esteem, and respect, are justly due. Though it becomes all men, generally speaking, to be sober-minded, yet there are times when a little relaxation of spirit is pardonable ; and we know no book where this relaxation and hilarity is so becomingly illustrated in practical lessons, as in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine for September last, written upon occasion of his Majesty's royal Progress to his ancient Kingdom, and his visit to our National Church. The paper, however, in that Number, entitled “ Noctes Ambrosianæ,” which, to weak minds, may seem an apology for indulging in profane merriment, promiscuous dancing, and excess in spirituous liquors, should be torn out, or the pages pinned up, before putting it into the hands of the thoughtless."

EDINBURGH PhiloSOPHICAL JOURNAL. “ Blackwood's Magazine, No. LXVIII.-It is scarcely within our province to notice publications not professedly scientific; but, though we cannot entirely convince our judgment of its propriety, we gratify our feelings by announcing, as one of the fruits of his Majesty's late visit, the publication of the sixty-eighth or Royal Number, of Mr Blackwood's unrivalled Magazine. This most excellent publication, to which every man of talent in the country has occasionally contributed, and which is even said to have been the vehicle of some admired essays from Royalty itself, frequently contains important though detacheil notices on subjects of uncommon interest; and in the Number which

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we have just mentioned, there is an admirable paper on the comparative warmth and decency of breeches and kilts. When we read the Sketches of our respected friend Colonel Stewart of Garth, we were almost convinced, that the philabeg was better adapted than any species of clothing hitherto invented for withstanding the extremes of heat and cold. We did not advert at that time to the circumstance, that the Colonel's excellent observations applied only to naked Highlanders, to whom the slightest shade of clothing might be deemed a luxury; but since we have read the “ Letter from a Goth to a Celt," cur views have entirely changed, and we now feel more than ever attached to breeches, whether considered as objects of art, or bulwarks of morality:

“ The narrative of our ingenious friend Eree Omai, too, is curious, as shewing the effects of education and civilization upon an intelligent forcigner, from an island which has been discovered within the memory of man. Nothing so interesting in the natural History of the human species has occurred since the appearance of the Esquimaux, who, however, was infinitely removed in point of intelligence from our respectable friend. We hope to be able to give the article entire, with our remarks, in a future Number; together with the description of soine minerals which he brought us from Otaheite, and which do not appear to have been noticed by the French mineralogists. We hope, also, to be able, by that time, to communicate some particulars regarding the Society of Arts in Otaheite, for which we drew up some regulations, at Omai's request, upwards of three years ago, and which he undertook to establish by the extensive influence of his family among the native tribes."

EDINBURGH EVENING COURANT.

“We are happy to announce a new edition of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, for September last ; which we recommend, as containing a lively picture of the feelings which prevailed among all classes of our fellow subjects upon his Majesty's visit, and the hearty “ welcome to Auld Reikie” which he then received.--See Advertisement."

CALEDONIAN MERCURY.

“ Blackwood's Magazine, No. LXVIII. 2d Edition.-In the present dearth of continental intelligence, we cannot do better than call the public attention to the new edition of Blackwood's Magazine now announced. Nothing certainly has occurred in Edinburgh, since the union of the two kingdoms, of more importance to its citizens than the Royal Visit of his Majesty to his ancient Capital, and the publication of this unrivalled work, if we except the reduction of the police assessment from 1s. 6d. to ls. in the pound, for which the public are indebted to the late commissioners. Though we happen to differ on some minor points of political economy from the writers of this celebrated journal, we shall ever remember the display of loyalty exhibited on this auspicious visit, and the transparent metaphorical expressions of joy which lighteå up every window and every countenance on that occasion. We venture to doubt, however, though the Courier asserted the fact, that the publication of the Royal Number raised the funds two per cent; but we assert nothing positively upon the subject, as our private letters make no mention of the occurrence. We may again advert to the circumstance, when we have ascertained its possibility, by a reference to Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations,-a book we have frequently occasion to quote, as containing much sound information, and the edition of which, in four volumes, we hold to be one of the very best works ever published in this country. The reader who wishes to possess this invaluable book will recollect, that Buchanan's edition is the one we universally refer to. Of Blackwood's Royal Number, the contents, which will be found at length in our first page, will be the best recommendation.-See Advertisement.”

THE EDINBURGH ADVERTISER.

“ LITERATURE.-Blackwoods Magazine, No. LXVIII., Second Edition.In our first page, our readers will see an advertisement of the LXVIIIth, or Royal Number, of this respectably-conducted and entertaining Miscellany, with VOL. XIII.

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