upon that subject. If so, we should, and might, if we set rightly about it, easily make up our minds to the transition which, sooner or later, must take place; and instead of considering it as a matter to be dreaded, rather to contemplate it with Christian firmness, and to secure the better alternative of bliss, or woe, by which that change is to be succeeded, by taking care that our conduct shall be without reproach. A feeling of this kind, while it is calculated to strengthen our hopes of a happy futurity, will also tend to wean us gradually from those objects to which we are too often inordinately attached in this world, and will enable us to look upon prosperous or adverse seasons with equanimity.

The first name in point of arrangement upon the catalogue now before us, is that of the Hon. Sir Robert Cavendish Spencer, second son of the venerable Earl Spencer, a gallant officer, who had served, not without distinction, in the navy. He was private secretary to his present Majesty, when, as Duke of Clarence, he filled the office of Lord High Admiral; for such an appointment Sir Robert Spencer was peculiarly well adapted, as, throughout his life, all his energies had been unremittingly devoted to the science of his profession. As a commander, he was extremely popular : in private life, his society is said to have been peculiarly fascinating. His manners were gay and playful; and to these he added a tenderness of heart, a degree of good sense and deep feeling, which singularly endeared him to all those who had the good fortune to enjoy his intimate acquaintance. He was snatched away from a brilliant career in the thirtyninth year of his age, very shortly before the period when the accession of his brother, Lord Althorp, to the cabinet, was destined to open a still more exalted path for his exertions.

We were rather surprised to find the brief biographical sketch which is given of this young nobleman, followed by a lengthened article on the character of Henry Mackenzie, well known as the Scottish Addison, and the author of "The Man of Feeling," and of " Julia de Roubignè." We had been under the impression, that Mr. Mackenzie had been removed some years since from this scene of his fame; and no wonder, for he appears to have lived almost a century, having been born at Edinburgh, in August, 1745, where he died in January, 1831. He spent the early part of his life as a partner in the office of Attorney for the Crown, to which he afterwards succeeded. His professional labours did not, however, as the world already knows, prevent him from devoting a good deal of time to pursuits of a literary kind, for which he had inherited a taste from his father, who was an eminent physician at Edinburgh, and the author of Medical and Literary essays. The novels which Mr. Mackenzie successively published, have been too frequently criticised to require any additional notice in this place. We need hardly remind our readers, that he was also the editor of "The Mirror," and "The Lounger," two periodical works, which appeared upon the plan of the "Spectator," between the years 1779

and 1787. It was in the latter of these works that he paid the first tribute to the genius of Burns, by a review of his poems, then newly published, which brought the unknown poet into immediate notice, and at once drew him from obscurity, into the full blaze of a fame that will never die! He was a firm believer in the authenticity of Ossian's Poems, which he zealously vindicated in the "Transactions" of the Highland Society, in a paper that is in other respects very interesting, on account of the history of Gaelic poetry which it contains. Mr. Mackenzie has left behind him in print, several dramatic pieces, not one of which is now remembered, though they fretted their hour upon the stage with considerable applause.

A political pamphlet, which he wrote at the instigation of his friend Mr. Dundas, afterwards Lord Melville, obtained for him the patronage of Mr. Pitt, through whom he was appointed Comptroller of the Taxes for Scotland, an office of considerable labour and responsibility. His present biographer gives no account of the latter years of his life, beyond a general statement that they were spent in a very retired manner. He was latterly altogether confined to his apartments, by the debility attendant on old age. He was married in 1776, to a lady of ancient family in Scotland, by whom he had a family of eleven children. His eldest son is now Lord Mackenzie, one of the judges in the Courts of Session and usticiary.

The partiality of private friendship, has here bestowed an article of some length, upon the life and services of Brigadier-General Walker, whose name, we fear, will be new to many of our readers. It is very truly stated at the commencement of the paper, that we do not generally feel in this country, much interest in the exploits of those brave men, who have essentially contributed to extend and secure our dominions in the east. The names even of the most celebrated fields of Indian glory, are scarcely ever heard pronounced amongst us; and, with the exception of particular circles, there is an almost universal apathy in England, with respect to communications from that vast empire, even of a scientific or literary charac

ter.

We shall not, therefore, go farther into the subject of General Walker's biography than to state, that he was, of course, a Scotchman-for the Caledonians seem to have India to themselves,-that he went out as a cadet about the year 1780, and that he continued for many years to distinguish himself as a soldier, until the year 1810, when he was allowed to return home. The principal scene of his exertions was the province of Guzerat, of which his biographer gives the following description: we extract it the more readily, as it exhibits the leading merits that entitled the Brigadier-General to the honours which he had received.

'Guzerat is known as one of the great states of the anomalous empire of the Mahrattas: it lies between the 20th and 24th degrees of north latitude. The gulf of Kutch and the Pudda river chiefly mark its northVOL. I. (1832.) No. II.

western boundary; and the gulf of Cambay and the river Nerbudda the south-eastern.. South-westward is the sea: north-eastward, Malwa and Kandeesh. North-east and south-west, its length may be estimated at about 400 miles, by less than 200 in average breadth. Its population has been somewhat roughly and vaguely reckoned between six and seven millions; probably over-rated, in the proportion of one Mahomedan to ten Hindoos. Its capabilities of export in cotton, grain, butter, and other prime articles, are prodigious. In its best days, between forty and sixty years ago, the Gaikawar could bring into the field from sixty to seventy thousand horse; and it is the boast of the family, heretofore renowned for military prowess, that its territories have never been conquered. The eastern parts are hilly, and the immemorial resort and abode of many lawless tribes of plunderers. They are fully persuaded that the low fertile lands were and are the property of their forefathers and themselves, and they act fully on such persuasion—

"on the good old plan,

That they may take who have the power,

And they may keep who can."

'The low regions near the sea have been equally notorious for piracy, from times long anterior to the invasion of Alexander, as noted by Arrian and Nearchus, to the present, or nearly for the English, within the last twenty-five or thirty years, as far as relates to the practice of their piratical habits, have almost, perhaps wholly, annihilated them, root and branch.

Few countries in the world have a greater variety of inhabitants than Guzerat. The bases of its population are, as has been noticed, Hindoos. Of these the military tribes abound; but it has been also the favourite abode of brahmins and merchants. Splendid temples, rich endowments, and superstitious legends, mark it as the seat of priests and priestcraft. Schismatics also are very numerous; no part of India abounds more in Jainas and Budhists. The Mahomedans have heretofore had considerable, at times (of Akber and Aurengzeb) almost paramount, influence in Guzerat. Several independent states arose, and became established there out of the conquests and decline of the imperial house of Timour, and still retain some show of power; little consonant, however, with the fine cities which flourished in the days of their prosperity; still magnificent in their decay. The sect of Parsee consider Guzerat as their home; perhaps 20,000 of that fine race may be found there. This is said to be one of the most priest-ridden sects in India; and strange to tell, the laity are wealthy, and the priesthood not. But the fact is, that it is the Parsee women over whom the priests have so much influence. The men, the higher classes, are said to be rather philosophic in matters of religion; the women are, assuredly, among the most chaste in the world. Many thousands of Arabs and Hubshees (the latter are natives of Habesh, or Abyssinia,) were found in the armies of the chieftains of Guzerat, and were among the most turbulent and troublesome of its discordant elements.

The early part of Major Walker's negotiations in the Gaikawar states, had for their objects the reconcilement of estranged and hostile members of the ruling family; the payment of the arrears, and the dismissal of the lawless soldiery; the arrangement and collection of the dilapidated, and almost unproductive, revenues; the reduction of the overwhelming debt of the state; the re-organization of the nearly inoperative courts, judicial and

civil; and various other points essential to the restoration to tranquillity of an unhappy country, sunk in the combined results of all these, and many other co-existing abuses.

Effecting these, or any of these reforms, was necessarily in direct opposition to the views and interests of those numerous and influential parties, including the soldiery who had created the abuses, and would benefit by their continuance; and every art that accomplished intriguers could bring into ingenious operation at Baroda, the seat of government, and the usual residence of the court and head of the state, was to be early combated and frustrated.'-pp. 33-35.

It is rather an abrupt transition from such a scene and theme as this, to the memoir of poor Elliston, one of the most eccentric beings whom the history of the stage has presented to us for some years. It is a very just remark of the "Tatler," the most able and amusing of all the penny journals with which this metropolis at present abounds, that "the death of a comic actor is felt more than that of a tragedian." To the latter the ceremony is so familiar, that when his final hour really comes, the world is quite prepared for his exit. But when we hear that the actor who frequently made us laugh, and set many an audience in a roar, has been removed from amongst us, we feel the intelligence the more deeply, on account of the melancholy contrast which it forms to the gaiety of his previous career. Elliston had, undoubtedly, many faults, some of them of a serious kind, to answer for; but it is not our business now to inquire into them. He was born in Orange-street, Bloomsbury, on the 7th of April, 1774. When about nine years old, he was placed by his father, who was a watchmaker, at St. Paul's School, and it would appear, that he had at first some notion of entering the Church. It is said, however, that the applause which he received at the school speeches, in 1790, gave his ambition a direction towards the stage, which induced him to quit school without the knowledge of his friends, and to join a theatrical company at Bath, where, in April, 1791, he made his debût in the humble part of Tressel, in Richard III. Though sufficiently successful, he could obtain no permanent engagement either there or at York, where he also tried his fortune, and being weary of his disappointments, he obtained leave to return to his family. His predisposition for the stage, however, was not to be overcome, and he returned to Bath in 1793; he was, after some time, placed upon the theatrical establishment, and played a variety of characters. He married, in 1796, Miss Rundall, a teacher of dancing in that city, after which he came to London, and was well received. The remainder of his career is well known; his connexion with the lease of Drury Lane, which made him a bankrupt, and his almost equally unfortunate speculations in the Olympic and the Surrey theatres. He died of apoplexy, on the 7th of July, 1831, up to which period he was remarkable for his attachment to the pleasures of the table. We cheerfully follow the example of his biographer, in quoting

from the Tatler the most accurate delineation of Elliston, as a comedian, that we have ever read. The vein of the criticism is delightful.

"Mr. Elliston was the best comedian, in the highest sense of the word, that we have seen. Others equalled him in some particular points: Lewis surpassed him in airiness; but there was no gentleman comedian who comprised so many qualities of his art as he did, or who could diverge so well into those parts of tragedy which find a connecting link with the graver powers of the comedian in their gracefulness and humanity. He was the best Wildair, the best Archer, the best Aranza, and carrying the seriousness of Aranza a little further, or making him a tragic gentleman instead of a comic, he became the best Mortimer, and even the best Macbeth, of any performer who excelled in comedy."

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"The tragedy of this accomplished actor was, however, only an elongation, or drawing out, of the graver and more sensitive part of his comedy. It was in comedy that he was the master."

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"In comedy, after the death of Lewis, he remained without a rival. He had three distinguished excellencies,-dry humour, gentlemanly mirth, and fervid gallantry. His features were a little too round, and his person latterly became a great deal too much so. But we speak of him in his best days. His face, in one respect, was of that rare order, which is peculiarly fitted for the expression of enjoyment:-it laughed with the eyes as well as the mouth. His eyes, which were not large, grew smaller when he was merry, and twinkled with glee and archness; his smile was full of enjoyment; and yet the moment he shook his head with a satirical deprecation, or dropped the expression of his face into an inuendo, nothing could be drier or more angular than his mouth. There was a generosity in his style, both in its greater and smaller points. He understood all the little pretended or avowed arts of a gentleman, when he was conversing, or complimenting, or making love; every thing which implied the necessity of attention to the other person, and a just, and, as it were, mutual consciousness of the graces of life on his own. His manners had the true minuet-dance spirit of gentility,-the knowledge how to give and take, with a certain recognition of the merits on either side, even in the midst of raillery. And then his voice was remarkable for the union of manly with the melodious; and as a lover, nobody approached him. Certainly nobody approached a woman as he did. It was the reverse of that preposterous style of touch and avoid, that embracing at arm's length, and hinting of a mutual touch on the shoulders,-by which the ladies and gentlemen of the stage think fit to distinguish themselves from the characters they perform; and even the Pollys and Macheaths propitiate our good opinion. Elliston made out that it was no shame to love a woman; and no shame in her to return his passion. He took her hand, he cherished it against his bosom, he watched the moving of her countenance, he made the space less and less between them, and as he at length burst out into some exclamation of Charming!' or, Lovely!' his voice trembled, not with the weakness, but with the strength and fervour of its emotion."

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"In tragedy, for want of a strong sympathy with the serious, he some