The instinctive love of life, however, is omni-prevalent; and even very stupid people have been found, when put to the push by strong and imminent peril, to exhibit a degree of presence of mind, and exert a degree of energy, far above what might have been expected from them, or what they were ever known to exhibit or exert under ordinary circumstances. So it was with the potensconced minister of C. Pressed by the urgency of his distresses, he fortunately recollected that there was a smith's shop at the distance of about a mile across the fields, where, if he could reach it before the period of suffocation, he might possibly find relief. Deprived of his eye-sight, he could act only as a man of feeling, and went on as cautiously as he could, with his hat in his hand. Half crawling, half sliding, over ridge and fur over chaos, the unhappy minister travelled, with all pos- "Out cam the gudeman, and high he shouted; verend man's commendations of her pot; "if ye like the pot sae weel as a' that, I beg ye'll let me send it to the manse. It's a kind o' orra [superfluous] pot wi' us; for we've a bigger ane, that we use oftener, and that's mair convenient every way for us. Sae ye'll just tak a present o't. I'll send it ower the morn wi' Jamie, when he gangs to the schule."—" Oh!" said the minister, "I can by no means permit you to be at so much trouble. Since you are so good as to give me the pot, I'll just carry it home with me in my hand. I'm so much taken with it, indeed, that I would really prefer carrying it myself." After much altercation between the minister and the widow, on this delicate point of polite ness, it was agreed that he should carry home the pot himself. Off, then, he trudged, bearing this curious little culi-row, ditch and hedge, somewhat like Satan floundering nary article alternately in his hand and under his arm, as seemed most convenient to him. Unfortunately, the day was warm, the way long, and the minister fat; so that he became heartily tired of his burden before he had got half-way home. Under these distressing circumstances, it struck him, that if, instead of carrying the pot awkwardly at one side of his person, he were to carry it on his head, the burden would be greatly lightened; the principles of natural philosophy, which he had learned at college, informing him, that when a load presses directly and immediately upon any object, it is far less onerous than when it hangs at the remote end of a lever. Accordingly, doffing his hat, which he resolved to carry home in his hand, and having applied his handkerchief to his brow, he clapped the pot in inverted fashion upon his head; where, as the reader may suppose, it figured much like Mambrino's helmet upon the crazed capital of Don Quixote, only a great deal more magnificent in shape and dimensions. There was at first much relief and much comfort in this new mode of carrying the pot; but mark the result. The unfortunate minister having taken a by-path to escape observation, found himself, when still a good way from home, under the necessity of leaping over a ditch, which intercepted him in passing from one field to another. He jumped; but surely no jump was ever taken so completely in, or, at least, into, the dark, as this. The concussion given to his person in descending, caused the helmet to become a hood: the pot slipped down over his face, and resting with its rim upon his neck, stuck fast there; enclosing his whole head as completely as ever that of a new-born child was enclosed by the filmy bag with which nature, as an indication of future good fortune, sometimes invests the noddles of her favourite offspring. What was worst of all, the nose, which had permitted the pot to slip down over it, withstood every desperate attempt on the part of its proprietor to make it slip back again; the contracted part or neck of the patera being of such a peculiar formation as to cling fast to the base of the nose, although it had found no difficulty in gliding along its hypothe. nuse. Was ever minister in a worse plight? Was there ever contretems so unlucky? Did ever any man-did ever any minister, so effectually hoodwink himself, or so thoroughly shut his eyes to the plain light of nature? What was to be done? The place was lonely; the way difficult and dangerous; human relief was remote, almost beyond reach. It was impossible even to cry for help. Or, if a cry could be uttered, it might reach in deafening reverberation the ear of the utterer; but it would not travel twelve inches farther in any direction. To add to the distresses of the case, the unhappy sufferer soon found great difficulty in breathing. What with the heat occasioned by the beating of the sun on the metal, and what with the frequent return of the same heated air to his lungs, he was in the utmost danger of suffocation. Every thing considered, it seemed likely that, if he did not chance to be relieved by some accidental wayfarer, there would soon be DEATH IN THE POT. The merriment of the company, however, soon gave way THE DRAMA. THE first plays acted in Scotland were performed in the open air, and there was a piece of ground attached to most towns, known by the designation of the "Playfield." In the year 1555, one of these plays was acted at Cupar in Fife, composed by Sir David Lindsay of the Mount. In general, the dialogue and plot were little superior to those which still draw crowds round caravans at fairs. The incidents and dramatis persona were such as are now to be met with only in Harlequinades. There was a father, a daughter, and two lovers, one of these being commonly an old fool who ran away with the lady, and she was not rescued from his clutches till many practical jokes had been played upon him. During the trou "Our brethren have from Thames to Tweed departed, And of our sisters all the kinder hearted blous times of Mary and James, and afterwards during actors, and that the commonest stage-tricks were the the civil war which raged between Charles I. and the Co-work of supernatural agency. On one occasion," Hamvenanters, little attention was pa d in Scotland to amuse- let" struck this enlightened audience as so horrid and ments of any kind, and least of all to the drama. The profane a play, that they tumultuously left the theatre, Duke of York, afterwards James II., who held his Court and, collecting on the outside, began to set it on fire. at Holyrood from 1680 to 1684, in imitation of his bro- To quell the riot, the Town Guard was called out, and ther Charles, kept a set of players who constituted a part in the course of discharging their duty, they had to enof his household, and called themselves "the Duke's ser- ter the house and cross the stage. This appeared to vants," as in England they were termed "his Majesty's them rather a hazardous undertaking; for though many servants." Some jealousy seems to have existed between of them had fought at Blenheim and Dettingen, they the English and Scotch companies; and Dryden was ex- did not by any means choose to encounter the Evil One. pressly employed to satirize the northern actors, which However, the captain placed himself at their head, and, he has done with considerable tact in these lines :- summoning up all his courage, said resolutely, "Follow me, my lads." But he had scarcely advanced two steps, till one of the trap-doors, on which he happened to tread, gave way, and in a moment he vanished from the sight of his men. This was too much; the Town Guard fled in disorder; and though their captain afterwards returned to them, they were never quite sure but that it was only his ghost. In 1756, however, the production of the tragedy of " Douglas," and the success it met with-not so much on account of its own merits, (which had to Garrick appeared so small, that he rejected the piece,) as on account of the unjust opposition it experienced-tended much to overcome the national prejudice against the theatre. Yet there was nothing stable in its establishment, and continual riots were taking place within its walls. One affray arose out of a party of loyalists, calling on the band to play the air of "Culloden," on the anniversary of that battle, a demand which was immediately met by a call from the Jacobites for, "You're welcome, Charlie Stuart." The band complied with the latter requisition, and a very desperate rencontre between the two parties was the consequence. Another memorable affair of a similar kind took place, when "High Life below Stairs" was produced. The footmen, sent thither by their masters who occupied the boxes, were the preponderating part of the gallery audience, and they determined, in a body, "to sacrifice fame, honour, and profit." to prevent the toleration of so glaring an insult upon their profession. The consequence was, that the gentlemen had to unite against their own servants, and it was not till they had been turned out of the gallery by main force, and after making a very stout opposition, that the piece was allowed to proceed. In the course of these repeated disturbances, all the theatrical property was destroyed, and the very walls of the house came at last to be demolished. Laced linen there would be a dangerous thing; At this period the drama must have been at a sufficiently The Taylors' Hall, in the Cowgate, was used for the first plays which were publicly and regularly performed in Edinburgh. The price of admission was two shillings and sixpence for pit and boxes, (which anciently seem always to have been charged the same,) and eighteenpence for the gallery. These prices, considering the greater cheapness of the times, were far from being very low; and the Taylors' Hall, when full, held about fortyfive pounds. At this period, however, players were, by act of Parliament, classed with common rogues and vagabonds, and were liable to imprisonment as such. An attempt was therefore made to get a bill passed, licensing a theatre in Edinburgh; but as petitions were presented against it from the Lord Provost and Magistrates, the professors of the University, and many of the clergy, the attempt failed. A new theatre, however, was built in 1746, by an opposition manager, in an alley which branches off the Canongate, and is now designated the "Auld Play-house Close." This rival establishment soon knocked up the performances at the Taylors' Hall, and continued for two-and-twenty years, obscure and mean as its situation was, the only theatre of which Edinburgh could boast. One of the first pieces performed here was Allan Ramsay's "Gentle Shepherd," which drew crowded houses for a whole season. To evade the law, which forbade the receiving of money for the representation of stage-plays, the bills and advertisements always announced a concert of music, with a play between the acts," which last was understood to be given gratis. The poor players had many difficulties to contend with, and none greater than the feelings of superstitious fear, with which the more bigoted clergy made it their business to inspire the common people, teaching them to believe that Satan himself was in league with the But peace and prosperity, and the happy effects of the Union, were by this time beginning to open up better prospects for Scotland. A new town was about to be added to old Edinburgh, upon a comprehensive and magnificent plan; its wealth and population had greatly increased, and a desire for public amusements was in consequence increasing also. To the bill for the extension of the Royalty, a clause was added, enabling his Majesty to license a Theatre. The rights accruing from the patent which was thus obtained, were made over to Mr Ross, an actor of celebrity at Covent Garden, for eleven hundred pounds. Ross immediately proceeded to raise L.2500, in shares of L. 100 each, for which he gave security on the new Theatre, wardrobe, and patent, agreeing to pay three per cent interest on each share, besides giving the holders the privilege of free admission at all times. The shares were also declared transferable, but the capital was not exigible from the patentee. These preliminaries being adjusted, the building of the present Theatre Royal was begun in March 1768, and finished towards the end of the following year. The site chosen, we learn from the "Traditions of Edinburgh," was "nearly upon the place where the celebrated Whitefield used to harangue the populace, when he visited Edinburgh in the course of his evangelical tours. On coming to the city for the first time after the extension of the Royalty, and preparing, as usual, to preach in the Orphan Hospital Park,' what was his surprise, and what was his indignation, on finding the spot which he had in a manner rendered sacred by his prelections, thus appropriated to the service of Satan! He contemplated the rising walls of the Play-house with a sort of grim despair; but, perhaps, as Robert Burns says, in allusion to a similar circumstance-' there was a rivalry in the job.' Through the kindness of the present manager, we have been favoured with a copy of the original prospectus, containing "Proposals for building a new Theatre-Royal in the new streets of Edinburgh," and bearing date March 1st, 1768. This is a curious document, and illustrates the manners and feelings of the times in a remarkable manner. It sets forth, among other things, that "the state of learning in the University of Edinburgh, and the rank the medical class has over Europe, is a glory to this nation, which seems every year growing to perfection." "A well-regulated theatre," it is added," will not only be an inducement to students to come to Edinburgh, but of infinite utility to those in particular who are to speak in public, and to the people in general, as a standard of the English language." We are also informed, that, the value of money being greatly decreased, the tickets could not remain at the same low prices which were then paid, and which had been paid sixty years before, when half-a-crown was as valuable as five shillings were then, and that they would therefore be raised to four shillings for the boxes, three for the pit, two for the lower gallery, and one for the upper. For these prices, we are assured the Edinburgh stage should be made to vie with that of London or Dublin; and, with very little of the courtesy and punctilio of more modern times, the manager pledges himself that "there shall be five capital men actors, one good man singer, and one second ditto; three capital women actresses, two capital women singers; one capital man dancer, and one woman ditto; the rest as good as can be had." We are not sure that the ladies and gentlemen of the green-room now-a-days would like to be talked of so unceremoniously. On Saturday the 8th of December 1769, the new theatre was opened; and though now worn almost out of date, and pronounced scarcely worthy of Edinburgh, it was considered quite a splendid structure by our ancestors. It is thus spoken of in an old newspaper of that day now before us :-" On Saturday last, the new Theatre-Royal was opened. It may, with justice, be said to be one of the neatest and most elegant theatres in Europe. Mr Ross has given us the most superb modern building in the kingdom, which does honour to the country, and to his taste." An opening address was delivered by Mr Ross, by which it appears that he was all for tragedy, "For Randolph's woes, and Tancred's youthful fire." He never thought of drawing houses by smart afterpieces little agreeable things pour rire ;— "Let manly reason with these pleasures vie, Let Shakspeare triumph, and may opera die!" Managers of a later date seem to be of a very different way of thinking. Having thus briefly traced the progress of the drama in Edinburgh, till it got possession of its present stronghold, we shall make the various fortunes it experienced there the subject of another article next Saturday. NEW MUSIC. Love, art thou waking or sleeping? a Serenade; the Music by J. Thomson, Esq. Edinburgh. Patterson, Roy, and Co. George Street. MR THOMSON is, perhaps, the cleverest practical musician in Edinburgh, and has evinced occasional glimpses of talent that place him at the head of our amateur composers. His present effort is a lively little melody in B, with a very pretty, though very unpretending accompaniment; and so simple as to be perfectly within the reach of the most inexperienced voice. Though less learned in its construction, it is better fitted to become popular, than any of his former productions that we have seen. ORIGINAL POETRY. THE UNCLE.-A MYSTERY. By Henry G. Bell, Author of the "Life of Mary Queen of Scots." I HAD an uncle once-a man Of three score years and three,- Things that seem'd strange to me. His conscience with him wrought, Some hideous vision brought. There was not one in all the house Who gamboll'd up and down, And pluck'd him by the gown. I was an orphan and alone, My father was his brother, And all their lives I knew that they Had fondly loved each other; And in my uncle's room there hung The picture of my mother. There was a curtain over it,— 'Twas in a darken'd place, One night, I do remember well, The wind was howling high, I sat and read in that old hall, I read but little understood The words upon the bookFor with a side-long glance I mark'd My uncle's fearful look And saw how all his quivering frame In strong convulsions shook. A silent terror o'er me stole, A strange unusual dread; His lips were white as bone-his eyes Sunk far down in his head; He gazed on me, but 'twas the gaze Of the unconscious dead. Then suddenly he turn'd him round That hung before my mother's face ;- “Come hither, boy!” my uncle said,— I started at the sound, 'Twas choked and stifled in his throat, And hardly utterance found ;"Come hither, boy!" then fearfully He cast his eyes around. "That lady was thy mother once,Thou wert her only child ; O God! I've seen her when she held "He was my brother, but his form Was fairer far than mine; I grudged not that ;-he was the prop And manly beauty was to him "Boy! I had loved her too,-nay more, 'Twas I who loved her first; For months for years-the golden thought Within my soul was nurst; He came he conquer'd-they were wed ;My air-blown bubble burst. "Then on my mind a shadow fell, And evil hopes grew rife; The damning thought stuck in my heart And cut me like a knife, That she, whom all my days I loved, "By Heaven! it was a fearful thing To see my brother now, And mark the placid calm that sat For ever on his brow, That seem'd in bitter scorn to say, "I left my home-I left the land- "I came again-I found them here- I've seen him lock'd in her fond arms, "He disappear'd-draw nearer, child ;— He died-no one knew how; The murder'd body ne'er was found, The tale is hush'd up now; But there was one who rightly guess'd The hand that struck the blow. "It drove her mad-yet not his death,No-not his death alone, For she had clung to hope when all Knew well that there was none;No, boy! it was a sight she saw That froze her into stone! "I am thy uncle, child,-why stare So frightfully aghast ?— The arras waves, but know'st thou not 'Tis nothing but the blast? I too have had my fears like these, "I'll show thee what thy mother saw,- "It has a secret spring; the touch Is known to me alone; Slowly the lid is raised, and now— A sudden crash-the lid fell downThree strides he backwards gave,"O God! it is my brother's self Returning from the grave! His grasp of lead is on my throatWill no one help or save?" That night they laid him on his bed In raving madness tost; He gnash'd his teeth, and with wild oaths And, ere the light of morning broke, LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. THE Messrs Laing are on the eve of publishing another posthumous work of the late indefatigable Ritson. It is to be entitled "Annals of the Caledonians, Picts, and Scots; and of Strathclyde, Cumberland, Galloway, and Murray." It is particularly interesting on this account, that it commences with the remotest period of Scottish History, and ends with the accession of Malcolm III. just where Lord Hailes begins his "Annals," under the impression that the previous history of this country was involved in obscurity and fable. In the present work, Ritson has extended the supposed limit of authentic history for many centuries. We understand that Bishop Jolly, of Fraserburgh, the venerable and pious author of the recently published "Remarks on the Sunday Services of the Church," is preparing for publication a work on the Lord's Supper, to be entitled "The Eucharist." Mr David Grant, of Aberdeen, is preparing for the press, "The Class-Book of Modern Poetry." This Work, we are informed, is intended principally for the use of schools, but will also form a choice cabinet of poetry for the private library, containing extracts from all the most admired poets of the present age. The pieces are arranged on a plan suggested some time ago in the "Edinburgh Review;" those on the same subject follow each other in immediate succession, so as to show the different styles of poetical composition adopted by different authors. Mr Grant is also about to publish "Battles and War Pieces, by the most eminent Modern Poets; now first collected into one volume." Mr Edward Upham, author of "Rameses," an Egyptian Tale, and other works, is preparing, for "Constable's Miscellany," the "History of the Turkish or Ottoman Empire, from its Establishment in 1326 to 1828; comprising a Preliminary Discourse on the Arabs, and also the Life of Mahommed, and his immediate successors in the Khalifat." Mr Derwent Conway is likewise preparing for the Miscellany, "A Personal Narrative through Parts of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway." We observe that there is to be a double Number of "Blackwood's Magazine," for December. We are glad to perceive that one of the Parts is to contain an article from the able and ingenious pen of Charles Lamb, entitled "The Wife's Trial, or the Intruding Widow." This is a coalition, perhaps, scarcely to have been expected, but it is quite as it should be. There ought, if possible, to be no personal animosities among literary men, who are all alike" pressing forward for the prize of their high calling." We rejoice to see the lion at length lying down with the lamb. There are also a Noctes, an article on Sacred Poetry, and another called Buy a Broom?" which, we have reason to believe, will be found excellent. The Author of "Waverley" is about to give us another Novel in three volumes, entitled "Anne of Geierstein, or the Maiden of the Mist." The scene is principally laid in Switzerland, but the hero, we believe, is a Scotchman. "Tales of the Great St Bernard" have just appeared from the pen of Mr Croly. Mr Croly is a poet, the author of "Salathiel," (an Eastern Romance, in three volumes, which has not sold,) a minister of the Gospel, and an expounder of the Apocalypse. The Tales of the Great St Bernard are spoken of as possessing various degrees of merit. The "Literary Remains" of the late Henry Neele, author of the "Romance of History," have just appeared. Mr Neele was an amiable and voluminous writer. His recent melancholy fate gives an additional interest to his "Literary Remains." Hamilton, whom the " Edinburgh Review" pronounced a sort of Newton among pedagogues, whom other sensible men thought a quack, and whose system made a blaze for six months, and then went out, has been publishing more int rlincar translations; but their day, we suspect, is past. We have seen a little book, entitled, "Liber Honorum, or Mirror of the Peerage," which contains, 1st, an alphabetical list of the mottos of the Peers, followed by the titles of those bearing them; and, 2d, an alphabetical list of the titles, followed by the mottos. It is executed in the new and beautiful style we noticed last Saturday, as introduced here by Messrs Smith and Co., and is a very elegant little work. Among the principal Memoirs which will appear in the " Annual Biography and Obituary for 189," are the following:Archbishop Sutton-Dugald Stewart, Esq.-Sir J. E. Smiththe Hon. Mrs Damer-the Margravine of Anspach-Captain Clapperton-Archdeacon Coxe-Lady Caroline Lamb-the ev. Edward Forster-Sir Henry Torrens-Henry Neele, Esq.-Dr Mason Good-Harry Stoe Van Dyk, Esq.-Vice-Admiral Nowell, &c. &c. We regret to announce the death of Mr Matthews, author of the "Diary of an Invalid." He died at Ceylon of water in the chest, on the 20th of last May. Scottish Academy.-We perceive by the first Report (just published) of the Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture," that this Insti ution is in a flourishing condition. The clear profits arising from the first exhibition in 1827, were L.317, and pictures were sold to the amount of L.506. The profits of the second exhibition in 1828, were L.535, and pictures were disposed of to the amount of L.190. At this exhibition, there were 309 pictures, and 16 pieces of sculpture; these were furnished by 101 different artists. The Academy has not yet been able to procure a Charter of Incorporation, on the plea, that it would not be expedient," as Mr Peel expresses it, to constitute by Royal Charter, two bodies politic, for the promotion of the fine arts in Scotland." We may have some remarks to make on this subject soon. The Ayrshire Sculptor.-A self-taught genius, if any one of influence happens to take an interest in him, is very apt to get himself puffed for a week, and forgotten for the rest of his life. The compliment of a ticket, and an invitation to a private exhibition, secure the good will of Newspaper Editors; and without knowing any thing about the subject, all they have to do is to write a flattering paragraph. We hope Mr Thom, whose two free stone figures of Tam o' Shanter, and Souter Johnny, we have seen with much pleasure, will not allow himself to sacrifice solid pudding for empty praise. There is a great deal of spirit and talent in his productions, considered not as works of art, but as the creations of a strong and original mind. We hope he will set about studying the severer beauties of sculpture, and with steady perseverance doubt not of his attaining eminence; but he has a long road before him, which is not to be shortened by tak ng a cross-cut of his own. He has already, we understand, received an order from one nobleman for a group of four figures, for which he is to be paid two hundred guineas, and from another, an order for a group of two figures, for which he is to be paid one hundred guineas. This is excellent encouragement to begin with; and it remains with Mr Thom himself whether he may not make himself a wealthy and a celebrated man-an honour to his native town, and to Scotland.-As an instance of local enthusiasm, it may be mentioned, that the "guid folks" of Ayr escorted these statues in triumphant procession, when they were carried on board the steam-boat, which brought them up, free of expense, to Glasgow Mons Meg.-This is the largest, most ancient, and most cele brated piece of ordnance which Scotland seems ever to have possessed. It is thirteen feet long, seven feet in circumference at the mouth, and its bore is 20 inches in diameter. It appears to have been originally made for James IV., and is frequently mentioned as doing good execution at different periods of Scottish history. It was commonly kept in the Castle of Edinburgh, but on one occasion was sent to assist in the defence of Dunottar Castle, when besieged by Cromwell's army and fleet. There is a tradition, tha in this siege, Mons Meg disma ted an English vessel lying at the distance of a mile and a half. From these and similar exploits, it was called "the great iron murderer Muckle Meg." In 1754 it was removed to London, probably as a measure of precaution; and application having been recently made to that effect, it has been re-transported, and is now lying at Leith. There is some talk of bringing it up to Edinburgh with military and civic honours. Theatrical Gossip.—Mr Knowles' Comedy of "The Beggar's Daughter of Bethnal Green," was produced last Saturday evening at Drury Lane, to a very crowded audience. It was not so successful as was expected, though abounding in many powerful situations, and much fine poetry. The under plot was considered too prominent, and, we observe, it is mentioned in the London papers, that Mrs Faucit, who was entrusted with the important part of Queen Elizabeth, completely murdered it. The piece, however, was announced for repetition, with considerable applause, although there appear to have been some individuals present who were determined that it should not have a fair hearing. "A stout gentleman," in particular, in one of the boxes ("No. 5," we presume) with the voice of a Stentor, and the face of a Medusa, and the gesticulations of a Cyclops, is spoken of as having particularly distinguished himself for the violence of his opposition. He was a shilling gallery of himself. If our old friend Weekes had taken his place beside him, we think he could have silenced him. We propose presenting our readers, next Saturday, with some choice extracts from this Comedy, of which we are fortunate enough to possess an unpublished copy.-We observe that Miss Phillips, who made her debut in Miss Mitford's Tragedy of Rienzi," (not a copy of which, by the way, is to be had in Edinbur h,) is spoken of by the London critics as the actress of greatest promise now on the stage.-Ducrow and his equestrian company are attracting crowded audiences in Dublin. -Mr Macready is rather celebrated for being an impassioned actor, and he sometimes suits the action to the word a little too closely. The other day, at a provincial town in England, when playing Othello, he nearly stabbed his Iago in good earnest;-exclaiming, "If thou art a devil, I cannot kill thee," he sent his sword, not along Iago's back, as is usual, but through his doublet, till the cold steel passed close to his skin, slightly rasing it. lago, we understand, thought it was all over with him. Macready nearly killed a Virginia once before. This is doing more than the author means. TO OUR READERS. It gives us much pleasure to intimate, that our next Number will contain a poem from the pen of Professor Wilson. And in the "Literary Journal" for Saturday the 27th of December,which may be considered as our Christmas Number,—our readers, we are sure, will share with us the satisfaction we have in announcing, that they will find articles, in prose and verse, by Professor Wilson, the Ettrick Shepherd, William Tennant, Esq., James Sheridan Knowles, Esq., John Malcolm, Esq., Dr Memes, William Kennedy, Esq., and some other authors of eminence, whose names we forbear to mention, from the possibility of disappointment. The support we have already received is, we be lieve, almost unprecedented in the history of Scottish periodicals; and we are determined to spare no exertion to entitle us to its continuance. TO OUR CORRESPONDENTS. "A Friend to Unity" is under consideration.-" Cato's" Letter on the Drama shall have a place, if we can find room for it."Pictures of Life," No. I. begins well, but does not end so well. -" Q. Y. Q. T." does not seem to have read the preface to Knight and Rumley's "Crests of the Nobility." No review shall ever appear in the Edinburgh Literary Journal," merely to please a bookseller. We regret that our observations on the art of teaching the blind to read are unavoidably postponed tilt next Saturday. We have been perfectly inundated with original poetry. We are happy to receive contributions of this kind; but we have poetry at our command, which makes it impossible for us ever to think of admitting inferior compositions into the "Journal." The effusions of Clio," of "W. C.," of " W. T.," of " Alpha," and of Ynyr," do not quite come up to our standard.-" A. M." and "J. S. P." may write to us again;-their productions are very nearly good enough to merit an imprimatur.-The "Stanzas to a Daughter," the sonnets by "Gamma," "A Remembrance of Eight Years," and the song by "S. S." of Glasgow, will appear as soon as possible. We have to express our surprise, that the advertisement of the "Edinburgh Literary Journal" has not yet appeared in the "London Literary Gazette," though transmitted to that paper, and paid for, several weeks ago. |