the contents inserted at full length. This supersedes, in a great measure, what we intended to say upon this valuable work, which is advertised oftener in our Journal than the Edinburgh Review of late; and we always judge of books by this criterion. Dr Solomon's esteemed work, which he describes as of great servíce in certain diseases, and the Balm of Gilead, we wish to see as often as we can. In common with the greater part of our fellow-subjects, we regularly take out Blackwood's Magazine whenever its announcement appears in our paper ;-and the Royal Number, as it is called, is, as far as we are able to judge, equal to any thing we have ever read in print. The descriptions of Omai, the South-Sea Íslander-(he was pointed out to us by Mr Murphy, at the Cross, on Wednesday)—are given in his own native style, which is considerably different from the late Principal Robertson's ; and the “ Gathering of the West” is said to be written by the author of the “ Ayrshire Legatees.” If that be the case, it is of course good. “ The Sorrows of the poor old Stot,” as the Scotsman is now announced for Wednesday and Saturday, it is not our business to increase ; we leave that to the gentlemen who publish on those days; but experientia docet Scotibus, as Colloquius says in his Cordery,—that is, a twicea-week paper is no joke if it do not sell. We shall not enter at present into the “ Glengarry Controversy,” as we heard our worthy Sheriff was displeased at its appearing in a contemporary, and we would avoid giving unnecessary offence. As loyal subjects, however, we recommend the work as worthy of a caresul perusal ; and we mention, for the information of our country readers, that it may be had in most of the market towns for threepence a-night, a price which we think very reasonable.” The EDINBURGH WEEKLY CHRONICLE. a “ The Royal Number of Blackwoods Magazine is just now advertised in a second edition—the first, of no less than 50,000 copies, as we have been informed, being out of print. If we were not afraid of giving offence to some respectable friends, we should have inserted several extracts from this amusing and instructive publication, which contains more wit and humour, and even information, within its covers, than many quartos of ten times the bulk and twenty times the value. In saying this, we by no means wish to reflect upon publications of a similar nature, of which it has happened us to have some experience; but we know that Mr Blackwood pays more for a single sheet of his inestimable work, than we have had for a volume twice as thick, and ten times as heavy, as any two of his. Though much inclined, therefore, to give extracts, we cannot at present spare room, as matters of more importance to the general welfare of Europe-our own observations on the Congress at Verona-demand our attention, and that of the public. As a specimen of Asiatic manners, however, we cannot help thinking the narrative of Omai curious, and powerfully corroborating what is said of the Friendly Islanders, in a book lately published, entitled, History of the European Discoveries in Asia, in three volumes 8vo., written by a gentleman of this city, of whom we have a very high opinion. “When the first edition of the Royal Number appeared, we were not so much disposed as now to give an opinion on the article entitled “ The Sorrows of the Stot," partly from friendship to the great political Economist, to whom we thought the article alluded; but now, since that gentleman has left the Scotsman Newspaper, and that it is announced to be published twice a-week, and one of those days Wednesday, we cannot, in justice to ourselves, but say, that the article in question is a very clever, sensible, mild, and manly expostulation, with a disloyal junto, and such as we would have written ourselves had not Mr Blackwood taken up the subject. With his permission, we shall print it in our paper some day soon; as we observed that the present editors of the Scotsman did not wear heath in their hats, nor smiled, so long as his Majesty continued with us in Edinburgh, while we sold our large and loyal bouquet for a broom to an honest woman Stockbridge for twopence, to sweep her shop, after his Majesty's royal departure.” The EDINBURGH STAR. “ Blackwood's Magazine for September.-We gave ourselves credit for being very particular in mentioning every thing that occurred during his Majesty's 1823.] 133 “ It would be unjust to a very meritorious institution not to mention, that those who are waiting for copies till the new edition is printed, which we understand is now in the press, may have an opportunity of secing it, for a very moderate subscription, in the Reading-Room, Merchant's-Hall, Hunter's Square, where are also to be seen a greater variety of newspapers than in any institution of a similar kind in the three kingdoms. It is not perhaps generally known, that the worthy conductor of this establishment has also spare rooms in the same suite for sales of property, extremely commodious for men of business, and that regular subscribers have the use of a water-closet below stairs, a convenience worth more than the money asked, and of incalculable benefit to strangers visiting Edinburgh, either for business or pleasure.” THE SCOTSMAN. “ Some of our readers may have heard that there is a detestable book published in Edinburgh under the name of Blackwood's Magazine. There is not a word of truth in it from beginning to end. The writers are all paid by government to hoodwink the people, and laugh them out of their liberty. This we know for a fact; else, why the secret visits of Mr North to Dalkeith Palace during the late visitation of the King, and the abuse of the mild and virtuous patriot and accomplished gentleman who established this work for the benefit of the public, and sold it at the moderate profit of a farthing per number, which we honestly declare is all that has been made by it for the last three years. “We have seen, by chance, the September Number of this work, and have only to say, that no person who reads the Scotsman should ever look into it. The fulsome flattery of the King, who, as all our readers know, is but a man, is disgusting; and the conduct of the people on a late occasion, gave but too much occasion to our enemies to triumph. It was little to the honour of the thinking part of the community, that so many scemed glad at an event which must cost them so many privations in the shape of new taxes. The city banquet, too, and all the unnecessary and wasteful expence of equipages for the Town-Council, it is easy to demonstrate, must be substracted from your weekly earnings. Even those who should have been with us, forgot for a time their radical interests, and shamefully and disgracefully humbled themselves before Royalty at Holyroodl-house. We blush to write it; for we were not there --not we—but in our silent apartments mourned the miseries of our ruined country. We could not look at shows which we knew must be paid for by the widow and the orphan; nor hear of banquets with patience, devoured by sinecurists, placemen, and corruptionists. “ From this time we resolved to reduce the price of the Scotsman from tenpence to sevenpence, the present price of a quartern loaf-only publishing twice a-week in place of once,-so that the public in future might have for fourteen-pence what we charged twenty-pence for before. The rise is thus nothing, when the additional quantity of information which will be given is considered, and we shall be actually losers by the measure. But the good of our suffering fellow-citizens is above every thing to us; and supposing the price of oatmeal to be fourteen-pence, and that seven respectable individuals agree to take one copy of our paper, and pass it to one another on Saturday and Sunday in succession, is quite evident that the additional expence to each person will not much exceed per week a single half-penny, or a quarter of a pound of meal, and this deducted from the porridge or ale pot, can make but a small and imperceptible difference in the quantity used by each person or family. Or it there be any of our readers (a supposition which we will not hastily indulge) who can for a moment hesitate to abridge his meals to that trifling extent, for the mass of moral and political information which fills our pages, if he have a family, let him keep a child from school, or without shoes, for only one quarter, and the same result follows. For it is a notorious fact, that schoolmasters are too well paid, as well as the clergymen of the establishment, and that children are generally more disposed to play than learning. “One word more. In the book to which we have alluded in the beginning of this article, and which is sold to the rich for the monstrous price of half-a-crown, there is an article entitled, “ The Sorrows of the Stot.” We do not pretend to misunderstand the nature of this attack, and we shall meet the writer manfully. We are accused of saying one thing one week and contradicting our. selves the next, and so on. But we appeal to the experience of our readers if it be possible, on any given Saturday, to recollect all that we have said or done on the Saturday preceding; and we maintain, that hissing and groaning, and contemptuous silence, is as good loyalty as cheering and eating, and not by one-half so expensive. Besides, James Ballantyne has not yet condescended to tell us why he prints Blackwood's Magazine, the Weekly Journal, and the novels of the Author of Waverley, though we have asked him again and again. Neither has Sir Walter Scott accounted to us for his appointment as Deputylieutenant of Roxburghshire, his visits to the King, and his other private transactions.* When these gentlemen come forward with their answers, then we will tell them why our printers have given us up,--why we determined to publish twice a-week, and take in advertisements to help our sale,--and why the great political economist found it more profitable to write for the Edinburgh Review, for which he is paid, than for the Scotsman, which paid him nothing. “ We have received four pence half-penny for the use of the Greeks, which will be appropriated accordingly to the good cause.” EDINBURGH EPISCOPAL MAGAZINE AND Review. “We understand, that at the late Convocation of the Bishops of our Scottish Episcopal Church, held at Aberdeen, it was unanimously agreed upon, that, at their next visitation, they should urge among their diocesans the necessity of reading Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, as the best antidote against the unconstitutional and infidel publications circulated by the enemies of order with so much assiduity, and recommend to every priest and deacon under their jurisdiction, to be possessed of at least one copy for the use of their respective flocks." The Farmer's MAGAZINE. “ Blackwoods Magazine No. LXVIII.-It is perhaps not unknown to some of our readers, that we furnished the agricultural reports for this celebrated Magazine at its first commencement, and before it had attained to its present character and extensive circulation. We therefore hold ourselves entitled to recommend this work, got up by the Intellectual Interest, as a desirable addition to every farmer's library, and particularly the number for September last, which contains no views hostile to the Agricultural Interest of this kingdom. We recommend it particularly as an excellent intellectual compost, andi peculiarly favourable to the germination of the seeds of loyalty, religion, and good feeling, in those minds which are not sadly overcropped, or otherwise deteriorated by unskilful management. “ Ye generous Britons venerate the plough, The EDINBURGH WEEKLY JOURNAL. “ Blackwood's Magazine, Royal Number, Second Edition.-We do not think it decorous, on common occasions, to criticize contemporary periodical publications, whether daily, hebdomadary, or enlightening the intellectual hemisphere • Well done, Stot! This is modesty with a witness ! 1823.] Vox Populi. once a-month, like the silver orb of night.' In this particular case, however, we hope we shall stand excused with our friends for obtruding on their notice (if obtrusion it can be called) the Second Edition of the Royal Number of Mr Blackwood's Magazine, published on the joyous occasion of his most Gracious Majesty's paternal Visit to the ancient Capital of his royal ancestors. We have heard it asserted in more than one respectable quarter, and by those who, we presume, should have known better, that the whole of this intellectual treat was written by the GREAT UNKNOWN. The delay of the publication of Peveril of the Peak may, with plausibility, be supposed to have had some share in giving rise to this absurd rumour ; but we should be far from dving justice to the claims of imperative truth, did we allow the idle story to circulate further, without the most positive and unqualified contradiction. That number of Mr Blackwood's Magazine, whatever may be the lowering ability which it displays (and there can be no doubt that it is characterized by a happy exlıibition of talents of the first order), was not wholly written by the very eminent personage, who is usually discriminated from the herd of ordinary writers, by the title of the Great Unknown. He is himself alone;' and though the writers in this wonderful periodical have shewn themselves capable of * exhausting worlds, and then imagining new ones' yet, having heard the report, we feel the imperious necessity of setting the public right. Further, perhaps, it is not necessary for us to say any thing; but in our mind's eye, the Royal Number of Mr Blackwood's Magazine will long remain a brilliant monument of the genius and talent that shone with such effulgent brightness at the Court of Holyrood : So · May the King live for ever: it will be the better for all of us,, my boys !'” The EDINBURGH OBSERVER. “ Blackwood's Royal Number.-We have just read over for the third time, without an interval, the second edition of this excessively splendid and animating picture of the feelings and doings of our countrymen. We need not repeat what we said upon occasion of its first appearance. Our sentiments regarding it are still unchanged, and will never change; and those who have not the good fortune to possess the series of our paper for the Royal fortnight, would do well to avail themselves of the present opportunity of buying No. 68. of Blackwood, of which we hear 50,000 are now printed. In addition to what was formerly said, however, we may be pardoned for remarking, that our predictions regarding “ The Sorrows of the Stoi' have been remarkably verified. The Scotsman has, we understand from good authority, now sunk so much in public esteem, that its proprietors have determined to lower its price, and try it twice a-week, before finally giving it up. As lovers of our King and country, we rejoice that the trade of misleading the ignorant has not proved a lucrative one--and we are happy to hear that the tread-mill in Bridewell goes on to admiration. While on the subject of periodical publications, we cannot avoid noticing the 6th Number of the New Edinburgh Review, and calling the attention of the public to that work. It seems, however, to have attracted more attention in the highest quarter, for we observe, in a note to p. 571, that his Majesty was induced to visit Scotland solely from the modest hints given his Ministers in this work; and we happen to know that the Salt Tax, and the Malt Tax, were repealed in consequence of the observations of the excellent writers of that book. It is particularly fortunate for the country, that men possessing such influence in the Cabinet and in Parlia ment, are always disposed to exert it with moderation and prudence. Suc excessive and unconstitutional power, however, is really dangerous; and they should take it into their heads to repeal the Union, emancipate the Cathe lics, or interfere in the affairs of Portugal and Spain, the country might placed in very critical circumstances.” GLASGOW CHRONICLE. “ After all this, can any rational creature hesitate about adopting our opinic From the mass of evidence now adduced, the whole world must be satist that, as we indeed had all along suspected, this precious Christopher North, Esquire, is one and the same person with Mrs GRANT OF LAGGAN. We wish the old girl much joy of her versatility,--and no more disclaimers, if you please, Madam !!!" GLASGOW SENTINEL. W “ No, fore gad, truth is a jewel-Ebony is really prime—bang up this number. The miserable, rascally Hamilton Humbugs must be in a fine stew. Ware whip, you dogs—but the whole race of you will soon be viridicated.” Nothing of Spalding YET? Ah, you hero, look to your hits ! The EvangeLICAL MAGAZINE. “ Some of the faithful have been taken unawares this month, by the publication of an extraordinary work, entitled, The Royal Magazine of Blackwood, which has been seen in many, very many parlours, by the authors of the present address, in company with much better books, and even in the hands of babes. This is a work we never sit down to read, though we generally happen to see it in the shop of Brother Snivel. We are credibly informed, however, that it sells to a great extent—a great extent, indeed—even among the serious; and that the profits, the real sterling profits, are immense, and beyond calculation. It is also said to be loyal and religious-yea, even an enemy to infidel principles, and infidel Reviews. If so, though we cannot conscientiously recommend it to the exclusion of the Evangelical Magazine, yet, if other Magazines or Reviews are to be read, (and we fear they must,) that would be the book we should point out-trusting that our recommendation may have the effect of inducing Mr Blackwood, who they say is a very liberal man-a very liberal man indeed—to dedicate the profits of one Number to the support of ministers, the erection of chapels, and other good works. With this hint, we take leave of our readers for another month.” LITERARY CHRONICLE. “ As a record of the opinions and observations of the greatest men that ever lived, (this is blarney with a witness from a Cockney!) on one of the most important events to Scotland that ever adorned her history, this Number (our Royal Number) is invaluable.” GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. “ We honestly believe that there is scarcely a man now living, and arrived at the years of discretion, who does not regularly take out this amusing Magazine.” LA BELLE ASSEMBLEE. “ The prevailing colour this month is tartan; the Christopher bonnet is universally worn; and the hair is arranged most becomingly à-la-North, with brilliants in the form of a St Andrew's Cross.” MONTHLY MAGAZINE. “Blackwood's Magazine for September has been published since our last,, and is brim-full of loyalty on the King's Visit to Scotland. We knew something of Courts many years ago, and shall only say, that his Majesty's Ministers might have availed themselves of our services, had they so wished. The whole Number is full of wit, humour, and learning, beyond common. The atoms of talent which float in the intellectual atmosphere, seem to have left the old city, and to have concentrated themselves, from some secret cause which philosophers may yet discover, over Prince's Street, which is now the Paternoster-Row of Edinburgh. On this principle, any measure of ability which the Royal Number displays may be easily accounted for." |