they are coarse, and fit only for placing on the rigging of ships to prevent chasing. When brought on board, their bodies emitted a most intolerable stench; to get rid of which, as soon as they were skinned the carcass was thrown overboard. The reindeer of Spitzbergen, of which we procured a plentiful supply, do not, I think, differ essentially from the deer of England, except that, as the autumn advances, they begin to cast their summer coat, and during the winter months become perfectly white; even in the end of June their winter coat was but beginning to fall off, and many of those we killed were still nearly white. We also saw many white bears, but only succeeded in killing one. "We continued at anchor in Fair Haven about seven or eight days, during which time we (the two ships) succeeded in killing about 45 or 50 deer, the weight of which averaged at least 120 pounds. We again put to sea, hoping that as the season was now more advanced, we should be able to penetrate towards the north. Having discovered some partial openings in the ice, we forced our way in; and on this occasion we gained the highest northern latitude we were destined to reach, viz. 80. 32. Here we were again completely surrounded and blocked up, in which state we remained during a period of three weeks. At length, on the 29th of July, after immense labour and fatigue, we succeeded once more in getting into open water, little aware of the catastrophe which was to befal us on the approaching morn. We had gained an offing of eight or ten miles from the packed ice, when about four o'clock, A. M. on the 30th July, a dreadful gale of wind came on, blowing directly on the ice. In a few hours we found ourselves in an awful situation, unable to weather the ice on either tack, and drifting fast upon the main body of it, which the wind and swell had now rendered to every appearance a solid mass. We knew not what to do; there was no time for deliberation, and to prevent the ship from driving broadside on, the only alternative we had was to put the helm up, and, if possible, to force her head into the ice. A little after nine o'clock the word was given to put the helm up, an awful pause succeeded; the most solemn dread pervaded every countenance; to all human probability there were but a few moments betwixt us and eternity, and every individual, with the most dreadful anxiety, watched the moment when the ship should re [Dec. 1, ceive the first shock. The concussion was tremendous. The sea was running awfully high, and at the instant of coming in contact with the ice, it threatened every moment to swallow us up. Our ship continued to receive most dreadful shocks; but in the course of half an hour had forced herself in, probably about two or three times her own length. The immense masses of ice which now surrounded us in every direction, served, in a great measure, to shield us from the violence of the sea, and we were now so firmly wedged, that the ship comparatively had little motion. Fortunately the gale soon moderated, but we found ourselves in a sinking state; all the pumps going, and unable to keep the ship free. We now expected every moment to go to the bottom. The following morning was, providentially, fine, and the ice had somewhat separated; with the utmost exertion of every soul on board, we succeeded in getting the ship out of the ice, and were able, on the following morning, to reach Smeerenberg Harbour, Spitzbergen. Our ship being now in such a shattered condition, every idea of wintering was at an end; and it became a question whether the ship (the lar board side, in several places, being literally stove in,) was sea-worthy; or if, every thing considered, and under all the circumstances, it would be prudent to risk our lives in crossing the Atlantic. Having got into Smeerenberg Harbour, it was found that we possessed the means of materially strengthening our vessel; after the completion of which, it was determined that we should proceed to England." Since the above, advices have been received that the Isabella and the Alexander, discovery ships, are safely arrived, in Brassa Sound, Lerwick, all well; neither ship having lost a man, nor having a man on the sick list. Captain Ross has completely succeeded in exploring every part of Baffin's Bay, and, with the exception of errors in the latitudes and longitudes, of verifying the statenents of that old and able navigator whose name it bears, and of ascertaining that no passage exists between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Davis's Straits and Baffin's Bay, the whole being found to be surrounded by highland, extending to the north as far as lat. 77.55. and long. 76. W.; and in the 74th degree of latitude, stretching westward as far as 84. W. longitude. They traced the same the whole way down to the Cape Walsingham of Davis, which they ascertained to lie in lat. 66. and long. 60.; from thence they steered for Resolution Island, and then stood homeward. They have made many curious observations and discoveries, of which, perhaps, will not be considered as the least interesting, that of a nation being found to inhabit the Arctic regions, between the latitudes of 76. and 78. who thought that the world to the south was all ice; that generation had succeeded a generation of people who had never tasted the fruits of the earth, had 433 no idea of a Supreme Being, who never had an enemy, and whose chiefs had hitherto supposed themselves monarchs of the universe. There now only remains to be discovered the termination, if it has one, of Middleton's Repulse Bay, it, to determine whether Greenland be and a few degrees to the northward of an island or joins America; and this might with the greatest ease be done from the northernmost station of the Hudson's-bay Company in any one season." DRAMATIC REGISTER. THE two last months have produced a more than usual number of dramatic pieces, and an unprecedented number of debuts, all of which, unavoidable circumstances have hitherto prevented us from noticing. We shall not affect to lament this much, as those which merited notice will have lost nothing by the delay, and those which have been passed by altogether may safely be pronounced not to have deserved it. COVENT GARDEN. In the performance of The Point of Honour, Miss O'Neil made a most touching appeal to the heart, as Bertha; and by somewhat repressing her energies at the early part of the play, her exertions towards its close shone forth with even more than their wonted splendour. Young's Sir Frank was a fine manly performance, replete with sensibility and vigour. The Durimel of C. Kemble was nothing behind it in excellence; and the Valcour of Abbott was worthy the rank it holds in the meritorious group which the play, as at present cast, presents, and makes the whole one of the most perfect exhibitions on the stage. After the play, the farce of the Spoiled Child was performed. Mrs. T. Hill played Little Pickle. There was much archness in her manner, and we could have desired nothing more agreeably playful had she appeared as a female; but taking the character of a boy, especially a sailor, her very pleasing performance would have been still more effective, had she retained less of her own delicacy. We have been accustomed to a bolder display, and this made us feel that something was wanting to complete the picture we expected to witness. Mr. Farren in Don Manuel: "She would and she would not" has added largely to the stock of his previous reputation. He possessed himself fully of the spirit of the part and delivered NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No, 59. all the points with great discrimination and masterly skill. Two of Mr. Sheridan's pieces were performed on the same night, the comedy of the Rivals, and the farce of the Critic. The Rivals was cast as usual, with only one exceptionwhich she sustained with a degree of Miss Foote undertook the part of Julia, spirit and feeling of which we confess we had no presentiment. The novelty in the Critic was Mr. Farren's Sir Fretful tion. The struggles of his envy against Plagiary, which was a masterly delineahis pride, and the frequent exposure of his indignation in the midst of his professions of coolness, were exhibited with surprising truth and energy. Indeed, the part, though limited to a single scene, is one of those sketches which prove how much may be done in a small compass, and Mr. Farren certainly brought to the undertaking all the talents which it required. Jane Shore excited no small share of pubThe representation of the tragedy of lic curiosity, to witness the talents of Miss O'Neil and Miss Somerville in one Macready, and Booth, were each expiece. In addition to this, Young, pected to be included in the cast of character. Since the tragedy was written, it is probable it was never so well acted as on this occasion. Miss O'Neil, as Jane Shore, presented a natural and affecting picture of " contrite heart." The sincerity of her a broken and a repentance, and the appropriate humility of her deportment, prepared the audience in the first scenes to sympathize in all her griefs which were to follow. Her ing, and she appears to have accomplishfirst scene was beyond description touched all the author could have desired to be accomplished when he drew the character. On the whole, we never witnessed a more able, interesting, or effectVOL. X. 3 K 434 The Recluse of the Pyrenees: a Poem. ive performance. Miss Somerville, on her first entrance as Alicia, appeared to have a heavy solemnity of manner that made us fear she would not be sufficiently animated in the most impassioned scenes. We were agreeably deceived. The bitter irony with which she taunted Hastings, and the lofty tone of indignant jealousy in which she loaded him with reproaches, soon dispelled every alarm. In the fifth act her frenzy and despair evinced a powerful imagination, and the frantic rage with which she assailed the unhappy Jane, was terrible enough to complete the distress of the scene, while her own misery was kept sufficiently in view to give her claim on our pity. Young's Hastings was a finer display of acting than the part deserved. His rejection of Alicia was in the spirit of the most courtly scorn, and his declaration of loyalty, in the presence of the protector, was eminently manly and impressive. Macready's Dumont was an inferior part well played. Booth, who has so long disappeared from the London stage, was the Duke of Gloucester. He spoke as if he had a severe cold, and was scarcely audible. The Soldier's Daughter was again brought forward after a long repose. This comedy has little sterling humour to recommend it, but a witless vivacity pervaded its scenes, which gave it a run on its first coming out, when the military spirit which animated the whole country was at its height. The improbabilities with which it abounds, stand before the public in naked deformity, but still the bustling variety which it keeps up gives it some claim to approbation, and this claim, backed as it was by the talents comprehended in the cast, was fully admitted by the audience. Farren, as the warm-hearted old Governor, displayed all the humour and energy that could be exhibited in a character so perfectly common-place. Miss O'Neil played the Widow Cheerly with great spirit and effect, and was warmly applauded throughout. Jones, Liston, Connor, [Dec. 1, Egerton, Chapman, and Simmons, were all happy in their respective parts, and the comedy was upon the whole completely successful. DRURY LANE. The A general meeting of the Proprietors of Drury Lane theatre took place in the saloon on the 30th ult. for the purpose of taking into consideration the appointment of the Sub-Committee, as agreed to by the General Committee. meeting, after entering into the matter at considerable length, confirmed the appointment. It is hoped that a more amicable feeling exists among the holders of property of various tenures than did heretofore, and that something satisfactory to all parties may be effected. A new dramatic romance, entitled Barmecide, or The Fatal Offspring, was produced for the first time. The scene is laid in Bagdad, the Caliph of which (H. Johnson) exercises his tyranny upon his sister Zaida, (Mrs. Orger;) her husband, Barmecide, (H. Kemble,) his former friend, and their innocent offspring, by condemning them to death. Barmecide succeeds in gaining over the troops; but he orders them to obey their lawful sovereign at the risk of every thing. The Caliph is reconciled by such a proof of loyalty, and a general pardon is proclaimed.-As a dramatic composition, it possesses but little merit, either of point or splendour, The music, which was composed by Mr. T. Cooke, has considerable claims to originality and excellence. A Mrs. West made her appearance for the first time in the character of Imogene, in Bertram. She did not acquit herself so well as we have been accustomed to wit ness. Her action was frequently redundant, and an elongation of sound, approaching nearly to a drawl, repeatedly offended by its sameness, as well as by its overstepping the modesty of nature, and proved that she had not sufficiently studied the part to make the effort equal to some that had preceded it. NEW PUBLICATIONS, The Recluse of the Pyrenees: a Pocm. This work is professedly an imitation of Lord Byron; but after we have mentioned the resemblance it bears to the Corsair, Lara, &c. in form, colour of its cover, and typographical arrangements, the comparison must altogether cease. The popularity of a great poet may, we think, be lessened for a time by the botching crew of imitators which his genius may draw after him-a set of 1818.] Influence of Civic Life, &c. on Human Health & Happiness. 435 sturdy rhymesters, mere valets-de-chambre to Apollo, who trick themselves out in the attire of their betters, in order to conciliate the respect of the public, but who are, in fact, grossly deficient in all the qualifications necessary to sustain the characters they assume. The story of the poem before us is that of a wounded British officer, left bleeding on the field after the battle of the Pyrenees, who is saved from being devoured by wild beasts by the timely interference of an aged recluse, entitled Count Alba. This count has, of course, a beautiful daughter, to whom the hero, Mansel, naturally makes love; and thus ends the book without any farther denouement. The author promises, however, in a note, to gratify our curiosity at some future opportunity. There is scarcely a page without some palpable plagiarism from Lord Byron; but we will instance a few. In his description of the wolves feasting on the dead, the author says: With foaming jaws the mangled corse they rips And from the white firm bone the soft flesh strip. p. 8. That all the wisdom which we learn below ·N But round those orbs of deepest blue the sparkling foam Phosphoric seemed with liquid fire to burn. p. 49. Around the waves phosphoric brightness Corsair. and many others" quæ nunc præscribere longum est." broke. extremely slovenly and incorrect; and The versification is, upon the whole, among the unorthodox rhymes we notice the following:- Noon, bloom- alone, foam-storm, scorn-form, charmwithin, dim-sublime, divine-lord, hard —-pain, name—name, slain—care, severc time, twine-scorned, alarmed formed, adorned-air, near-screen, gleam-leaves, wreathes. Now as all these blemishes, besides a number of halting lines, are to be met with in the course of 53 pages, it will be readily believed, that the "Recluse of the Pyrenees" bears no resemblance whatever in spirit and execution, to the lofty and animated strains of the Bard of Harold. The Influence of Civic Life, Sedentary Habits, and Intellectual Refinement, on Human Health and Human Happiness; including an Estimate of the Balance of Enjoyment and Suffering in the different gradations of Society. By JAMES JOHNSON, M. D. Author of "The Influence of Tropical Climates on European Constitutions," and Editor of The Medico-Chirurgical Journal." 8vo. pp. 98. 66 Dr. Johnson is already well known, both in the medical world and to the public at large, by his work on Tropical Climates, and also on the Climate of Great Britain. The present little Essay is extremely ingenious, and it comprehends a variety of subjects which are interesting to every class of society, especially in cities and large towns. The work is divided into three chapters.The first is entitled "The Influence of Civic Life, Sedentary Habits, and Intellectual Refinement on the functions of the Heart, Liver, Stomach, and Digestive Organs." This influence is illustrated by numerous examples, which 436 Journey from India to England, through Persia, Georgia, &c. [Dec. 1, carry conviction to the mind that Dr. Johnson's observations are founded on nature and truth. Speaking of the effects of civic, and especially of luxurious life, on the digestive organs, our author ob serves: "When inordinately excited by the quality or quantity of the food and drink, the secretions are irregular and morbid, and therefore a constant source of irritation is generated in this important class of organs. But with these organs almost every part of the human system sympathizes; and the discerning physician can plainly detect their derangement in the state of the mind, the nerves, the muscles, and the skin. Let it be remembered, that when any one part of the system is inordinately excited, some other part or parts are deprived of their due share of vital energy. Now when so large a portion of this vital energy is kept constantly concentrated round the digestive apparatus, it is easy to see that the muscular and intellectual systems must severely feel the loss. The shattered state of the nerves, the irritability of the temper, and the want of tone in the muscles, which hourly present themselves in luxurious and civic society, afford the most incontestible evidence of the truth of these positions." p. 14. The following extract, taken at random, will enable the reader to judge properly of Dr. Johnson's manner and matter: "Civic life, by rendering the senses more acute, makes the passions more ungovernable than in rural retirement. In congregated masses of society, every kind of food for the passions is not only superabundant in quantity, but of the most stimulating quality. Hence, among a very considerable class in the upper walks of life, we find an unnatural and insalutary degree of excitement kept up in the brain and nervous system from this prolific source. The extent of injury which our health sustains in this way is beyond all calculation. Plato believed that "all diseases of the body arose from the mind," and certainly a great many of them do! Here we cannot fail to perceive the great analogy which obtains between the state of the digestive organs and that of the nervous system, in civic and luxurious life. The one is over-excited by too much and too stimulating food; the other by excess in the passions. The derangements resulting from each set of causes act and re-act, direct ly or indirectly, on both systems; and thus it is that we never see a morbid condition of the nervous system unconnected with a similar condition of the digestive organs, and vice versa. The over-action of the principal passions on the brain and nerves closely resembles the over-action of food and drink on the stomach and other digestive organs, in many minute particulars, and especially by attracting an undue portion of blood to the over-excited parts. The whole of the phenomena attending the Protean host of nerrous diseases, and all the most successful methods of treatment, attest that their immediate seat or source is an unequal distribution of the blood and of the sensibility. ble, from over-excitement by the passions, The brain and nerves becoming more irritatheir vessels swell with blood, and this local turgidity causes a constant pressure on, and keeps up a perpetual irritation in, the whole nervous system. This is a doctrine which, though deduced from actual observation and experience, is far wide of the popular belief, itself. It is of such importance, however, and but little diffused in the medical world and opens out so much better a practice than is generally used, that I shall go somewhat into detail, in order to elucidate it." p. 84. The whole work is written in a pleasing, energetic style, and is perfectly adapted to general, as well as professional, perusal. The parallels which our author has drawn between the upper and lower ranks of life, in respect to physical and moral enjoyments, are extremely curious, interesting, and original. We recommend a perusal of the work to class of our readers. every A Journey from India to England, through Persia, Georgia, Russia, Poland, and Prussia, in the year 1817. By Lieut. Col. JOHN JOHNSON, C.B. Illustrated with Engravings. 1 vol. 4to. pp. 376. This is a very amusing volume, and though the author made the best of his way from? Bombay to Muscat, and thence to England, he surveyed every thing as he passed with a scrutinizing eye. His descriptions are minute, his anecdotes lively, and his obser vations extremely pertinent. The following is his account of the Illyauts: "Respecting these wandering tribes, who are undoubtedly of Tartar origin, it may be necessary here to state, that they inhabit the mountains on the west and south-west confines of Persia. Their peculiar habits of life do not seem to have varied from those recorded of their ancestors at the period of the march of Alexander through Persia. On the first appearance of spring, early in March, they very slowly move forth with their flocks, and under tents, from the moun tains to the plains in their vicinity, taking that direction in which they know, from experience, that grass is best found. Their mode of migration I find to be simply this: A spot within a few miles having been fixed. upon by their chief, they load their camels, horses, bullocks, and other beasts of burdenwith the clothing, tents, carpets,shearing and spinning implements, and, in short, every thing required by the party, either for use or for future sale; and after sun rise they move off in a body towards the appointed, |