Star.
London, England, 1825-01-15 00:00:00

. Comic Tales and lyrical Fancies ; inending the Ches-
sind, a Mock Heroic, in Five Cantos; and the. Wreath
of Love, in Four Cantos By C. Dibdin, Me younger.
12mo. pp. 253. Loudon, 1825.
Genlus is very rarely hereditary, vet it is sometimes
the case—as, for instance, the great Ea.l Chatham, and,
his sou, the late Mr. Pitt ; and the Colmans and Dib.
who arc worthy sons of able sire-4. Charles.,
Dibdio the younger, is %%ell known as a dramatist and
song wi iter ; he also published a very pretty Poem a
few years ago ; and he now come; forward with his'
Comic Tales, which are full of genuine humour, and
well calculated, as Mathews's Old Seotchwoman says, to
promote the hilarity of society.
The Chessiad is a very clever mock heroic. Poem, in
which the first principles of the game are taught; and
the Comic Tales are cat emtly amusing, and very well
told. We shall give an extract on a future day.
IMPERIAL MAGAZINE.
The Imperial Magazine, published on the first of this
month, is embellished with 1 poi trait and copious me-
moir of Dr. Birkbeck, the President of the Nlechauics'
Institution. This Gentleman, it appears, had the ad-
vantage of being educated under Mr. Dawson, of Sed-
bergh, who, though originally a shepherd and self-
taught, became one of the ablest mathematicians of
the age. The other articles in this Magazine, are, as
usual, interesting.

LA BELLE ASSEMBLE&
A new Series of this elegant wnt k has been commen-
ced, with a beautiful portrait of Lady Belgrave, and
other embellishments. The literary department is exe-
cuted with judgment, and a particular attention to the
taste of that class of society fur whom it is more parti-
cularly intended—the fair sex.

The Hermit in Italy ; or, Observations on the Manners
and Customs of Italy. By M. DE JODY. 3 vols. 12mo.
London, 1825.
M. de Jouy is well and favourably known to the
Public, by his Hermit of the Chau:a& d'.entin, the first
of those works which contain a correct and animated
picture of life and manners, and which has since pro-
duced a host of imitators. Another woe k, of the same
entitled the Hermit in Prison, was the joint pro-
duction of M. deJouy and M. Jay ; and the former Gen-
tlenvan, now presents us with his Hermit in Italy, which
is calculated to enhance his reputation very consider-
ably. It gives a charming picture of the country, and
manners and customs of the inhabitants, sketched with
equal felicity and correctnees. We have only room for
one extract, which contains some curious and interesi-
ing particulars of the inhabitants of the Appenines :
The great amusement at Bobbio is dancing. The
figure and the step most in vogue have been handed
down from generation to generation, without change
or improvement.. The musical instruments alone have
undergone any modification; the dances are as they
were a century ago, the may' erincs, feria nes , and bisses.
It is a curious sight to witness
the .peple of all ranks dance; the only difference of
the high and the low is that the former have a slight
superiority in ease: in vivacity and speed they are both
alike. The gentleman and lady seize each other firmly
about the waist, and whirl themselves around in as large
a circle as the room will allow ; then they separate and
dance opposite to each other— clap their hands'—pi-
rouette—seize each other, and so repeat the affair over
again, until one or both of them are too fatigued to per-
severe The abbes and priests do
not hesitate to join in these amusements, and areamongst
the most renowned professors. It is only very lately
that violins have been introduced at Bobbio. The Mar-
chioness Malaspina was tiled of the bagpipe, and un-
willing longer to he mixed up with peasants and inn-
keepers, who were, with the fashionables, the joint pa-
trons- of the only piper in the district. They were
brought from the neighbouring town of Voghera, and
the ladies of 13..,bbiu " tooted it away" to the sounds of
a new instrument.

Very few of the ladies of the Appenine towns possess
the vivacity and gay thoughtlessness of the French.
I recollect one day seeing a fashionable lady of Bobbio
in the public promenade,soirrounded by a levy of suitors.
The two most ambitious of them were very assi-
duous in supporting her by the aims; lifting her over
the tuts, and wiping, with their handkerchiefs, the dust
fionn her shoes.
As a specimen of the manners of the people, I will
give you an account of their mode of keeping New
Year's Day. On the 31st of December, visits are paid ;
the men kiss each other on the face, and the Ladies on
the hand, with such greetings as, " happy new year—
long life—health," &c. ••• ••• ••• •••
The next day them is nothing left for them tt* say, but
families conrelogether, and eat sundry dishes which are
appropriated to the season ; such as polpetti (made of
minced veal), and polo:fa (of Indian meal), powdered
over with cinnanton. ••• •••
When a rich man dies he is carded to the church in
an open bier on a litter. The corpse is dressed out in
gay attire, the face and feet uncovered, the hair pow-
dered. and a crucifix in the band. It is attended by a
great many prie.t., who ate numerous in proportion to
the vanity of the defunct, or the liberality of the heirs.
'The body is placed in a chapel, with a basin of holy
water at the head, and surrounded by torches. The
priests pray over it all day, and watch with it in suc-
cession dining the night. The next day it is catffined
up,.and deported in a vault. A poor person who has
money to pay the priests and the undertakers, is car-
ried with " maimed rites" to the nave of the Church,
• and left there whol:y unattended for the night, and
'1110.• lelessly into a deep vault.

thrown cal_
Still-born And unhaptized children are not-allowed to
be interred in consecrated ground; they are obliged to
be deposited in any other place which may he found
for them.
As affording some insight into the customs of this
part of It.rly, I will Five you an account of a religious
ceremony which I witnessed at Bobbio, and Ouch is
perfo!mel up:m Good Friday. The Church
was converted into a theatre, with a stage, wings,
scenes, &c. and on the morning of Good Friday the
- tribunals, functionaries, &c. took tbeir seats in the parts
which 114 d been assignel to them, as spe.rtators of this
theatrical representation by a religious fraternity. At
the further ead of the Theatre three crosses were
erected; to the midele one was affixed an 'trine of
°lir SAVIOUR. The Passion and all its symbols were
painted on the scenes. To the right of the stage was-a.

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