The Sun.
London, England, 1838-11-23 00:00:00

GEMS OF BEAUTY.

Longman, London, 1838.
has Issued
Annual, and making about the twentieth that
Issued from the press within the last two months!
Bow many more are to come we cannot pretend to say
1:411 anything like certainty, but judging from present indi-
ati"; we should say that it w ill rain Annuals till Christ-
Mas
.tt Gems of Beauty" is a very creditable specimen of
class, both as respects its external decorations, which
are splendid to a degree ; and its pictorial and literary
?Intents. It is under the superintendence of the Countess
Blessing ,
ton who has contributed twelve " fanciful illus-
atinns in verse" to as many engravings which depict
first female beauty. The " Dejected" which is the
prst
Plate in the volume, represents a lady seated on a
;ell, with a guitar beside her, in an attitude apparently,
deeptt thought. The title of this picture is a misnomer ;
s.bould have been called the " Splenetic," not the " De-
Jected," for the fair lady's countenance exhibits not a pen-
live, but an irritable, and even stern, expression. She looks
Thfivage, as if she could tear her " sweet-heart's" eyes out.
• " Bull-fight" shows a clever groupe of women who are
Fazing at this animated spectacle from their private box,
Just above the arena. Tile " Prado" is an elegant design,
"11 an ably sketched sylvan back-ground. In the "
taste the sleeping female reclines on her couch in an atti-
ti de Painfully stiff ; her drapery, however, is exceedingly
yZell engraved. We have mentioned. a
.few of the best of
;„.,se Plates, but there are others wEich display much talent ;
4:Need the pictorial designs throughout the volume are
liniPeerior to the general run of Annual engravings. Lady
ti,,"lngton's poetical accompaniments are sweetly and
"4neeteclly versified.

LITERATURE.

WREATH OF WILD FLOWERS.
The Clirton, London, 183 S.
lad_ authoress of this volume of poems is an American
~Tv, named Osgood, who, in a rhymed preface, entitled,
hen°, My Book," appears to be quite in a flutter of appre-
Iviti!wil as to the reception her goodly octavo may eet
e,it`! from the Reviewers. The " cold critic"—the "pirate
shele,,--are the dulcet and complimentary terms in which
felt alludes to the stinging-nettle fraternity, just as if she
de ,Morally convinced that criticism would breathe its
sheaeliest mildew on her pretty, sprouting versicles. Now
for Lneed have entertained no apprehensions on this score,
„eilaz Poems are really very clever of their kind, and as
the s mere versification, show an ear finely attuned to all
or .Meloies of rhythm. We meet with no bold thought
attl:l.l4Paseus sdioned feelings in them ; nothing can be more uns -
iti
a;att than their character, for they treat of light, familiar
eel's in an easy and unassuming style. The majority
e
a mirthful order, and would seem to be modelled
tathe livelier strains of Haynes Bayley. We subjoin a
p llsa or two from a poem headed " Why Don't He
mho,
of 14- which is a dexterous, but not servile, imitation
.1 4' Batley's manner
e Vows that my dimple is love's sunny spell, dear,
:hat my form than a fairy's is prettier far,
shell,
y teeth are but peat is in a rich crimson dear,
ti My eii:•ek a blush rose, and my bright eye a star I
says that my voice is bewitchingly tender;
I sing to him always of love's gentle woes-
-i, knows lam ready my heart to surrender—
Ile knows I adore him—why don't he propose ?
.`
He likes timid women ; by nature I'm bold, love,
But once when it thundered, I clung to his arm,
Pala:
and Iklamma did look awfully cold, love,
But he seemed delighted—and where was the harm?
a,,gazed on my drooping form, languidly leaning,
e pressed my fair fingers—as long as lie chose;
eYe popp'd the question, with looks full of meaning;
But his lips—how provoking !—I thought he'd propcse !"
The
whi arch and saucy spirit that pervades these stanzas,
eh are snt off by all the graces of a light, easy, and
r‘it tilted versification, renders them very agreeable drawing-
-4°lll reading The poem on " Gabrielle" strikes a dif-
Ihrhentt chord: It has deeper feeling than the. authoress
:1.119 -exhibits; but, like the extract we have just given,
ati'l a imitative character, for who does not recognise an
ts-`atopt—.and a very felicitous one, by the bye—at the
anuer of Wordsworth in these lines ?
" And thus, tho' she is sorrowing now,
She is not often so,
For the very power of loving much,'
la happiness, you know ;
And in each living thing she sees,
In every bird and flower, •
The sicople, earnest, guileless child
Can find a pleasing power."
Mrs
• Osgood is very happy in some of her epigrams,
pear are are
pointed. with Much case and adroitness. Fifty
no
w' ago these lively sallies were exceedingly popular, but
or r-47tlaYs they seem to have lost favour with the public,
thethatuer the peculiar turn of mind necessary for producing
Is departed. We know of many smart, clever
ar o -B`"s, but we should be puzzled to mention the name
I(4e clever
epigrammatist of the present day. The fol-
-4°148,;'s as good as anything of the sort we have seen for
TVne• It is our authoress's shortest, if not her best :
.Tge boots pinched hard—the suffering Dandy sighed—
' 11,04;_elefsosn,dly thought the sigh her beauty's due;
your passion, Sir !' she proudly cried ;
,11'!' said the f, would I were bootless too !"
not. LaKle
t g leave of Mrs. Osgood, we would advise her
Bowe"e quite so lavish of tropes and similes drawn from
Itose.,B',,i,a her next production, as she is in her present.
lilies, tulips, &c.—all compared, of course, to ladies'
44
fae-f! ankliPs, and complexions—abound in every page.
Places"' the Volume is stuck full of these poetic common-aOrrY I
which, however pretty and specious, form but a
substitute for genuine feeling and fancy. Verbunt sap.