occasioned by observing the effect of Velluti's gracing. This singer, prodigal of his power of ornament, so entirely changed the whole of the music of his part in Aureliano in Palmyra, yet with so much advantage, that while the opera sunk, the singer was lauded to the skies. Henceforward Rossini determined not to leave a crevice for the singer, but to fill every part so full of notes as to permit no interpolation, and hence the excessively florid style of his second manner. This determination has been still more fatally enforced by writing for Signora Colbran, whom he has since married, and who (says the biographer) has lost the power of sustaining, and must therefore be indulged with a profusion of passages. If, indeed, half what is averred concerning this lady be true, the frequenters of the King's theatre will require all their respect for the talents of the husband to support them in the endurance of the wife.

It will be no matter of surprise that a composer who having numbered no more years than thirty-two, and who has produced no fewer than thirty-three entire operas, should have occasionally failed. The rapidity is marvellous-the success still more astonishing. The most terrific instance, however, occurred at Venice, in the production of his Maometto se condo, where a storm was raised, which lasted from seven in the evening till three in the morning, and even the safety of the theatre was compromised. All this arose from his indolently neglecting to write (in violation of his contract) and from his dressing up some of his old

works, and endeavouring to foist them upon the public for new. He has, however, since conciliated the Venetians by the production of Semiramide.

He is now come to receive judg ment in person, if that judgment can be said not to have been already pronounced, in the metropolis of England. But in fact he has now for some seasons shared all the honours the English Public has to bestow with Mozart, for no other operas have stood their ground, and continued to occupy the stage of the King's Theatre, but those of these composers. Nay, Rossini has, with Mozart, been translated for the benefit of all the family of Mr. Bull, at Covent Garden in the winter, and at the Haymarket in the summer. The music shops have subsisted upon his songs and variations, on his airs, and arrangements of his operas. The drawing rooms of affluent amateurs, and even the parlours of sober citizens have re-echoed to Di tanti palpiti, and Zitti, zitti, and that best (worst) test of captivating melody, the street organ, has brought down eleemosynary showers of pence and halfpence from the windows of the balconies, by the aid of the same enchanting strains of Rossini. Who then shall arraign his ability? Critics and good critics too may talk of simplicity and expression till they are tired; all their grave objections are answered by a single word--effect; and the interpretation of this word, conveyed by Rossini's music, has been understood and allowed from St. Petersburgh to Naples.

on the watch-towers, announcing midnight, and the voices of the muezzins from the mosques, the wild notes of whose chant floating on the wind, ran through my veins with the chilling creep of death, and announced to me that the hour of murder was at hand! They were the harbingers of death to the helpless woman. I started up, I could not bear to hear them more,-I rushed on in desperate haste, and as I came to the appointed spot, I found my five companions already arrived, sitting unconcerned on and about the coffin that was to carry my Zeenah to her eternal mansion. The only word which I had power to say to them was, Shoud?' Is it done? to which they answered, Ne shoud,' It is not done. To which ensued an awful silence. I had hoped that all was over, and that I should have been spared every other horror, excepting that of conducting the melancholy procession to the place of burial; but no, the deed was still to be done, and I could not retreat.

On the confines of the apartments allotted to the women in the Shah's palace stands a high octagonal tower, some thirty gez in height, seen conspicuous from all parts of the city, at the summit of which is a chamber, in which he frequently reposes and takes the air. It is surrounded by unappropriated ground, and the principal gate of the harem is close to its base. On the top of all is a terrace (a spot, ah! never by me to be forgotten!) and it was to this that our whole attention was now riveted, I had scarcely arrived, when, looking up, we saw three figures, two men and a female, whose forms were lighted up by an occasional gleam of moonshine, that shone in a wild and uncertain manner upon them. They seemed to drag their victim between them with much violence, whilst she was seen in attitudes of supplication, on her knees, with her hands extended, and in all the agony of the deepest desperation. When they were at the brink of the tower her shrieks were audible, but so wild, so varied by the blasts of wind that blew round the building, that they appeared to me like the sounds of laughing madness.

At

We all kept a dead and breathless silence: even my five ruffians seemed moved -I was transfixed like a lump of lifeless clay, and if I am asked what my sensations were at the time, I should be at a loss to describe them,-I was totally inanimate, and still I knew what was going on. length, one loud, shrill, and searching scream of the bitterest woe was heard, which was suddenly lost in an interval of the most frightful silence. A heavy fall, which immediately succeeded, told us that all was over. I was then roused, and with my head confused, half crazed and half conscious, I immediately rushed to the spot, where my Zeenab and her burthen lay struggling, a mangled and mutilated corpse.

She still breathed, but the convulsions of death were upon her, and her lips moved as if she would speak, although the blood was fast flowing from her mouth. I could not catch a word, although she uttered sounds that seemed like words. I thought she said, My child! my child!' but perhaps it was an illusion of my brain. I hung over her in the deepest despair, and having lost all sense of prudence and of self-preservation, I acted so much up to my own feelings, that if the men around me had had the smallest suspicion of my real situation, nothing could have saved me from destruction. I even carried my phrensy so far as to steep my handkerchief in her blood, saying to myself, this, at least, shall never part from me!' I came to myself, however, upon hearing the shrill and dæmon-like voice of one of her murderers from the tower's height, crying out— Is she dead?' Ay, as a stone,' answered one of my ruffians. Carry her away, then,' said the voice. To hell yourself,' in a suppressed tone, said another ruffian; upon which my men lifted the dead body into the taboot, placed it upon their should. ers, and walked off with it to the burialground without the city, where they found a grave ready dug to receive it. I walked mechanically after them, absorbed in most melancholy thoughts, and when we had arrived at the burial-place, I sat myself down on a grave-stone, scarcely conscious of what was going on. I watched the operations of the Nasackchies with a sort of unmeaning stare; saw them place the dead body in the earth; then shovel the mould over it; then place two stones, one at the feet and the other at the head. When they had finished, they came up to me and said

that all was done:' to which I answered, Go home; I will follow.' They left me seated on the grave, and returned to the town.

The night continued dark, and distant thunders still echoed through the mountains. No other sound was heard, save now and then the infant-like cries of the jackall, that now in packs, and then by two or three at the time, kept prowling round the mansions of the dead.—(Vol. ii. p. 295 -302.)

The main part of them is a detail of Persian manners and society, exact, apparently, and in strict keeping, but not always in correct English. The and the scene of Hajji's marriage last volume is the most amusing; and separation, and the account of the Frank embassies, we pronounce good.

I went to the coffee-house at the proper time, and there found my friend. I approached him with great demonstrations of friendship; and calling to the waiting man, ordered some best Yemen coffee,

which was served up as we sat one opposite the other. In the course of conversation he pulled out his watch, when I seized the opportunity of introducing my subject. That is an European watch,' said I, is it not?'

Yes, truly,' said he; there are none in the world beside.'

"Wonderful,' answered I,- those Franks must be an extraordinary people.' 'Yes,' said he, but they are Kafirs,' (infidels).

"In the name of Allah,' taking my pipe from my mouth and putting it into his, 'tell me something respecting them. This Frangistan, is it a large country? Where does its king reside?

What say you, friend?' answered he; a large country, do you ask? A large country indeed it is, not governed by one king alone, but by many kings.'

But I have heard,' said I, it is composed of many tribes, all having different names and different chiefs; still being, in fact, but one nation.

You may call them one nation if you choose,' said he, and perhaps such is the case, for they all shave their chins, let their hair grow, and wear hats,-they all wear tight clothes, they all drink wine, eat pork, and do not believe in the blessed Mahomed. But it is plain they are governed by many kings; see the numerous ambassadors who flock here to rub their foreheads against the threshold of our Imperial Gate. So many of these dogs are here, that it is necessary to put one's trust in the mercies of Allah, such is the pollution they create.'

In the name of the Prophet speak on,' said I, and I will write. Praise be to Allah! you are a man of wisdom.' Upon which, whilst I took out my inkstand from my girdle, and composed myself to write, he stroked his beard, and curled the tips of his mustachios, recollecting within himself who were the principal nations of Europe.

He prefaced his information by saying, "But why trouble yourself? They all are dogs alike,-all sprung from one dunghill; and if there be truth in Heaven, and we believe our blessed Koran, all will burn hereafter in one common furnace. But, stop,' said he, counting his fingers: in the first place, there is the Nemsé Giaour, the Austrian infidel, our neighbours; a quiet, smoking race, who send us cloth, steel, and glassware; and are governed by a Shah, springing from the most ancient race of unbelievers: he sends us a representative to be fed and clothed.

Then come those heretics of Muscovites, a most unclean and accursed generation. Their country is so large, that one extremity is said to be buried in eternal snows, whilst its other is raging with heat. They are truly our enemy; and when we kill them, we cry Mashallah, praise be to

God! Men and women govern there by turns; but they resemble us inasmuch as they put their Sovereigns to death almost as frequently as we do.

Again, there is a Prussian infidel, who sends us an ambassador, Allah only knows why; for we are in no need of such vermin; but, you well know, that the Imperial Gate is open to the dog as well as the true believer; for the rain of Providence descends equally upon both.

Who shall I say next, in the name of the Prophet? Let us see: there are two northern unbelievers, living at the extremity of all things,-the Danes and Swedes. They are small tribes, scarcely to be accounted among men, although it is said the Shah of Denmark is the most despotic of the kings of Franks, not having even janissaries to dispute his will; whilst the Swedes are famous for a madman, who once waged a desperate war in Enrope; caring little in what country he fought provided only that he did fight; and who, in one of his acts of desperation, made his way into our borders, where, like a wild beast, he was at length brought to bay, and taken prisoner. Owing to this circumstance we were introduced to the knowledge of his nation; or otherwise, by the blessing of Allah, we should never have known that it even existed.

I will mention one more, called Flemings, infidels, dull, heavy, and boorish; who are amongst the Franks what the Armenians are amongst us, having no ideas beyond those of thrift, and no ambition beyond that of riches. They used to send us a sleepy ambassador to negotiate the introduction of their cheeses, butter, and salt fish; but their government has been destroyed since the appearance of a certain Boonapoort, who (let them and the patron of all unbelief have their due) is in truth a man; one whom we need not be ashamed to class with the Persian Nadir, and with our own Suleiman.'

Here I stopped the Katib in his narrative, and catching at the name, I exclaimed Boonapoort, Boonapoort,-that is the word I wanted! Say something concerning him; for I have heard he is a rare and a daring infidel.'

• What can I say,' said my companion, 'except that he once was a man of nothing, a mere soldier; and now he is the Sultan of an immense nation, and gives the law to all the Franks? He did his best endeavours to molest us also, by taking Egypt, and sent innumerable armies to conquer it; but he had omitted to try the edge of a true believer's sword ere he set out, and was obliged to retreat, after having frightened a few Mamalukes, and driven the Bedouins into their deserts.'

'But is there not a certain tribe of infidels called Ingliz?' said I, the most unaccountable people on earth, who live in an island, and make pen-knives?'

6

Yes, truly," said the Katib, they, amongst the Franks, are those who for centuries have most rubbed their heads against the imperial threshold, and who have found most favour in the sight of our great and magnanimous Sultan. They are powerful in ships; and in watches and broadcloth unrivalled.'

"But what have you heard of their government?' said I: is it not composed of something besides a king?'

⚫ Yes,' returned he, you have been rightly informed; but how can you and I understand the humours of such madmen? They have a Shah, 'tis true; but it is a farce to call him by that title. They feed, clothe, and lodge him; give him a yearly income, surround him by all the state and form of a throne; and mock him with as fine words and with as high-sounding titles as we give our sovereigns; but a common Aga of the Janissaries has more power than he; he does not dare even to give the bastinado to one of his own viziers, be his fault what it may; whereas the Aga, if expedient, would crop the ears of half the city, and still receive nothing but reward and encouragement.

Then they have certain houses full of madmen, who meet half the year round for the purposes of quarrelling. If one set says white, the other cries black; and they throw more words away in settling a common question than would suffice one of our muftis, during a whole reign. In short, nothing can be settled in the state, be it only whether a rebellious Aga is to have his head cut off and his property confiscated, or some such trifle, until these people have wrangled. Then what are we to believe? Allah, the Almighty and Allwise, to some nations giveth wisdom, and to others folly! Let us bless Him and our Prophet, that we are not born to eat the miseries of the poor English infidels, but can smoke our pipes in quiet on the shores of our own peaceful Bosphorus ! '

Strange, strange things, you tell me,' said I, and had I not heard them, I could not believe something more, which is, that all India belongs to them, and that it is go verned by old women. Do you know that fact ?"

I shall not be surprised to hear of any thing they do,' answered he, so mad are they generally reported to be; but that

Per

India is governed by infidel old women, that has never yet reached our ears. haps it is so. God knows,' continued he, musing, for mad people do wonderful things.'

After a pause, 'Now,' said I, "have I learnt all, or are there more unbelievers ? By your beard, tell me; for who would have thought that the world was so composed ??

He reflected for some time, and said, "O yes, I forgot to mention two or three nations; but, in truth, they are not worthy of notice. There are Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian infidels, who eat their swine, and worship their image after their own manner; but who, in fact, are nothing even amongst the Franks. The first is known to us by their patakas (dollars); the second sends us some Jews; and the third imports different sorts of dervishes, who pay considerable sums into the imperial treasury for building churches, and for the privilege of ringing bells. I must also mention the papa (pope), the Caliph of the Franks, who lives in Italia, and does not cease his endeavours to make converts to his faith; but we are more than even with him, for we convert the infidels in much greater proportion than they, notwithstanding all the previous pain which man must suffer before he is accepted for a true be liever.'

'One more question I must ask,' said

I, and then I am satisfied. Can you tell me any thing positive about Yengi duniah, the New World: for I have heard so many contradictory reports, that my brain is bewildered? How do they get at it, underground, or how?

We have not had many dealings with it,' said the Katib, and therefore know not much of the matter; but this is true, that one can get there by ship, because ships belonging to the New World have actually been seen here. They are all infidels, my friend,' exclaimed he, with a sigh; all infidels, as much as those of the old world, and, by the blessing of Allah, will all grill in the same furnace.'

(Vol. iii. p. 322-333.)

We may say of every part of the work that it is clear of all effort or affectation, and therefore pleasant to read.

THE PANTOMIMES.

THE ever-blessed days of minced pies and pantomimes come, like our birth-days and other precious holidays, but once a year; but then, who that has the sense to know that FEB. 1824.

the appetite of enjoyment should never be overcloyed, would think of having Christmas-tide visit us in every quarter of a year, like the taxgatherer,-or come as often, and with as common a face, as the old whey O