The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-22 00:00:00

LITERATURE

LAMB'S POETICAL WORKS.
Moron. London, 1836.
However suitable the genius of Charles Lamb
may have been to the quaint, fantastic essay, where
wit and humour, subtle thought, and acute speculation
on life, are blended together in odd but harmonious
fellowship, it was ill calculated for the purposes of
poetry. It wanted ease, pliancy, and that fine ima-
ginative apprehension, without which, though there
may be ingenious versification, there can be nothing
really and truly poetic. In all Elia's attempts at
verse we find a constant elaborate straining after effect;
but though the mountain is so often in labour, it sel-
dom or never produces anything better than a mouse.
The best of his poems is his well-known song on the
" Old Familiar Faices," which, however, is suc-
cessful, not so much from the manner in which
it is treated, as from the nature of the subject.
The very repetition of those three magical words at
the close of every stanza have—like the Scottish
" Auld Lang Syne"----a charm in them for the reader,
which will always carry him readily through the poem,
no matter how stiff and prosaic the rest of the lines
may be. As. for the " Tragedy of John Woodville"
—on which we believe C. Lamb greatly piqued him-
self—it is at best but a mere bald, servile imitation
of our elder dramatists, Massinger especially, with
but one solitary passage that can lay the slightest
claim to fancy or feeling. Its blank verse is the
blankest possible—stiff, prosy, here an Alexandrine
in its length, and there " curtailed," like King
Richard, of its " fair proportions ;" and through-
out as utterly unmelodious as that remarkable sow-
gelder's horn which so annoyed Don Quixote, when
walking on the ramparts of the Enchanted Castle.
Most assuredly it is not by his sonnets, lyrics, or
album verses, that Charles Lamb will go down to
posterity. As a poet, he will be forgotten long ere
the first spring flowers shall have withered on his
grave ; but as a critic, and above all, as an essayist, he
stands as fair a chance of immortality as Steele,
Addison, or even " surly Sam" himself. It is impos-
sible to think too highly of his prose, or too meanly
f of his verse.

CHERVILLE'S FIRST STEP TO FRENCH.
E. Wilson, 'London, 1836.

A useful elementary little work, containing a collec-
tion of progressive familiar conversations, in French
and in English. The plan, if not original, has at least
simplicity to recommend it, its main object being to
present a comprehensive view of the French language,
by means of connected examples, easy to be recollected
by the young pupil. This object the author has ac-
accomplished with great skill.

WAVERLEY NOVELS-1341n I, 11, 111, IV.
Either, London, 1836.
A Number of this admirable collection of novels is
published every Saturday, at. the compardQy insig-
nificant price of one shilling, and the our first of these
are now lying before us. The are neatly printed,
and have the advantage of som dmirable Illustrations
from the pencil of Tinter, rich will, no doubt, be
the means of still furtlA ncreasing the circulation of
these well-known fictions.

LAYS OF THE HEART.
Smith, London, 1836.

An unpretending volume of Poems, in which there
are occasionally some pleasing images, and indications
of considerable feeling. The author, if we may judge
from the wilfulness of some of his rhymes, and the un-
pruned luxuriance of his epithets, is a very young
man ; and if so, we would recommend him to study the
works of our hest models in poetry, before he again ven-
tures to appear in print. Above all, do not let him
affect, like Master Stephen, to be too " melancholy
and gentlemanlike," which ie no more a proof of
genius, than walking abroad without a shirt-collar,
with " looks commercing with the skies."

THE SCHOOL BOY.
Longman, London, 1836.
This Poem is very much in the manner of Gold-
smith, and is evidently the production of a writer of
cultivated mind and elegant fancy. Had it possessed
a little more nerve and vigor of thought, it would have
had a far greater chance of becoming popular ; though
we doubt not, that even in its present state, it will find
favor with the select few.

HIS TORY OF THE 0 VER THR OIV OF THE
ROMAN EMPIRE.
Whittaker. London. 1836:

A sensible and industrious compilation—for it can
aspire to no higher praise—from the works of a va-
riety of historians. Occasionally, We see traces of
original thinking, which convince us that the author
might employ his talents more advantageously to him-
self and the public. The account of the last sack of
Constantinople is animated, but will not bear a mo-
ment's comparison with Gibbon's stately and heart-
stirring record of the same imposing event.

LARDNER'S CABINET CYCLOPIEDIA.
No. LXXV.
Longman. London.

1836.

There is much valuable matter in this volume,
which treats chiefly of botanical matters ; though we
should have a better opinion of it, if it were less en-
cumbered by harsh, technical phrases, which must be
caviare to nine out of ten readers. But this, perhaps,
is not so much the fault of the author, as of his subject.

FINE ARTS.

HIGHLAND HOSPITALITY.
Hodgson, London. 1836.

There is considerable animation and character in
this picture, which is engraved by Giller from an ori-
ginal painting by Lewis. The scene represented is a
Highland cottage, in which two sporting „gentlemen,
hungry, no doubt, and thirsty, and fatigued with the
pursuits of the morning, have taken temporary refuge.
One sits leisurely smoking his cigar, which being
somewhat of the shortest, he holds to his mouth by
the tongs ; and the other is just about to experimenta-
lize on the virtues of his Highland host's whiskey,
who is himself busy in pouring out glass after glass
with an expression of countenance implying, " you
are welcome to the best I have," while the " gude-
wife" is casting many an admiring glance at the hand-
some strangers ; and her daughter also, though more
slily, is on the same laudable look out. The group-
ings of the different figures are remarkably natural,
and not less so, the subordinate accessories of which
the picture is made up. The strangers' dogs, in par-
ticular, have quite an aristocratic air about them. They
seam conscious that they belong to the "
and one of them casts a very edifying glance of disdain
at the cottager's humble colley, who, however, is by no
means deficient in spirit and acuteness, though perad-
venture it may be of a plebeian stamp. The engrav-
ing is one which, from its cheerful character, is very
likely to become a favourite.

S UN- SE T.
Hodgson, London. 1836.
This is a very carefully finished engraving from a
painting by the late lamented Richard Bonnington,
which is now in the possession of the Marquis of
Westminster. The materials of which it is constituted
are the simplest possible—a homely old cottage, with
one or two children loitering outside ; a low, naked.
sea-shore, utterly destitute of picturesqueness ; and a
tranquil expanse of water, lightly tinged by the sunset

•
hues, with here and there a white sail glistening In
the distance. Yet out of these rude, and familiar ma-
terials, the artist has contrived to work up
a painting,
which is fully equal in minuteness and beauty of de-
tail, to the best of Crabbe's descriptions. But 13011-
nington was an artist, in his way, of first-rate genius,
which at once explains the secret of his success.

SCOTLAND AND SCOTT.
Fisher : London, 1836.
This is the first number of a series of Landscal22-
historical Illustrations of Scotland and thoAlraverley
Novels, and contains two engravings, the subjects of
which are both taken from Waverley. The designs
for the future numbers will, we-Understand be supplied
by by
.Turner, assiste by Lyidseer and other artists of
eminence ; and th pric,/ of each will be only
shillina—a small pr.(e, indeed, if the work be coil-
tin i the sam uperior style in which it has ben
commenced.

- ---- - - -----
THE MARKETS-(THIS DAY).
CORN EXCHANGE.
The past week's arrivals of most descriptions grain are 1,1,111;
derate, and of Flour the quantity was not considerable. ,f,'",..5
trade geaerally was firm, and Wheat was again dearer. '''''„
morning the supplies fresh up of every kind of corn 'core
better than last week. The millers purchased all the best
parcels of Wheat freely at Is. to 2s. per qr. advance on last
Monday's terms, but the trade was slack for all other qualities,s
Fine Malting Barley maintains its last quotations ; other sort
continue dull in sale. Beans firmly support last week's rates'
Pease of both kinds have no variation. The buyers of Oats
are chiefly out of stock, and the demand continues good a'
rather higher prices than this day se'nnight. The millers
have endeavoured to advance the top prices of Flour to 42"
bttt this has not been unanimously agreed to.
PRICES ON BOARD OF SHIP.
..--1.
Wheat, Red (old) Tis. 4ls. Beans, Small (new) ..... -g• ,
.-- White (01d)... 40s. 455. --- (old) ............ --s•Ls,
-Red 1835) - Tick (new) ............ 3'25 !)::,..
_- Fine aSs 40s.
---- Superfine 425. 435. - Harrow (new) ......... 34,4,1;
-Wh to (1835) 365. 40s. -- (I I) .400-4- '
428. 448. Brank o , ........ . i 6 ois.
Fine
`,s.
--- Superfine 455. 48s. Oats, Feed
Foreign free -s. s. New .. l' s' ...... • ~s 2.„
Rye 30s. 114 s. Poland
Barley .1s 2:5g. -.-Ne• f 20.1 2•
New .............
055.00.
- Grinding ' 24s. 268. Potatoe
- Malting •zBs. 325. -- New ...... -'"- mss.
Malt 445. 50s. Scotch ...... 0 cr.--
-- Fine New 50s. 5Ss Irish 16,....... 13'•39::
Pease, Grey, New 304 325. Flour Town (per sack) ...... .26" as!,
- Maple New 32s 345. --- Seconds ................ ..:14s „„,••-
-- White ')2s. 345. - North Country....... 9.,.:35 "'-
101....
- Boilers 16i! 38s Bran
-% rElc-
-N LONDON DURING LASTX___---