we

This, perhaps, is altogether as interesting a book of travels as any we remember to have met with, and it is no less interesting than important. Leaving the political portion of the volumes to those whom it may concern, turn to the author's description of the natives:"Beauty of feature and symmetry of form, for which this people are celebrated, is no chimera (and some of the finest statues of the ancients do not display, in their proportions, greater perfection); but it is the singular degree of animation in the eye, so generally observable, that most arrests attention; when this is exhibited in a high degree in the men, it gives an expression of great ferocity to the countenance; and, when we see a warrior mounted on his fiery steed, armed and equipped for battle, brandishing his scimitar in the air, bending, turning, and stopping at full gallop, with unequalled agility and grace of action, he realises every idea of Homer's Hector. The complexion of both sexes is far more ruddy and fresh, than might be expected in such a latitude. In that of the women, delicately so, who, aware, like their sex in Europe, of the advantage of a pretty person, use every artificial means, by cosmetics, &c., to improve their beauty. Still, the traveller who may read my account, and expects to find the whole population such as I have described, will be wofully disappointed, should he find himself, on arriving at Circassia, surrounded by a tribe of Nogay Tartars, Calmucks, Turcomans. or even the Lesghi. The latter, however, a fine warlike

to

race, are nearly equal, in personal appearance, the Circassians, but more ferocious in character and less refined in manners. The Caucasian valleys having been, in all ages, the asylum of those who fled from oppression in the neighboring countries, we everywhere find tribes differing from each other in appearance, customs, and manners. Still, as the Circassian men never intermarry with any other race than their own, they preserve their lineage uncontaminated, a father paying more attention to the beauty of feature and form in a wife for his son, than any other consideration; and, if I have been rightly informed, a prince, or usden, never sells his daughter, except to one of his own nation and rank. My first impression at Fitzounda, on seeing a number of Caucasians together was, that they were decidedly of Grecian origin. This, however, I found did not correspond with the general physical character of the people, as I advanced into the interior of the country, there being a greater proportion with the small aquiline nose, and fine arched eyebrow, than any other. This remark may be more particularly applied to that powerful tribe, called the Nottakhaitzii, celebrated as being the bravest, handsomest, and purest race among the Circassians; and who still preserve the tradition that their ancestors came from beyond the seas. Were it not that we are ascending into the regions of fable, we might almost suppose them to be descended from a remnant of the Trojans."

We now come to a description of the interesting ceremony of Marriage:

"When the accepted lover has fulfilled his engagements, or given security for their performance, arrangements are made for the marriage; the girl is decked in all her finery, and completely covered by a long white veil, which, among the wealthy, is flowered with gold or silver. A friend of the bridegroom officiates as bridesman, and gallops away with the girl to the house of some relative where the wedding is to be celebrated. On arriving at their destination, the bride is received by the matron of the house with all the solemnity observed on such an important occasion. She is then conducted to the apartment destined for the happy pair, where she is left alone, with a bundle of pine torches, or a fire of the same material; the replenishing of which, so as to preserve a continued blaze till the arrival of her destined

lord, is an indispensable duty. This is done to prevent

the entrance of any supernatural enemy, who might be tempted to run away with the prize. We must not, however, forget to mention, that an elderly matron, one who usually officiates on such occasions, after the entrance of the bride, performs the mystic ceremony of walking three times round the nuptial-bed, repeating the words of some charm in Arabic, commencing with the head and finishing with the feet; after which she places three earthenware pots, filled with corn, at the head, foot, and side, in each of which a lamp is left burning. The happy moment, midnight, having arrived, the bridegroom mounts his horse, and seeks his friend, boring woods. On being introduced to his bride elect, who, in the interim, takes up his abode in the neighhe draws his poignard, and instantly performs the ceremony, so peculiar to the whole of the Caucasian tribes, of cutting open the corset that has confined her form from infancy. It is owing to this singular custom of wearing the corset, that we so frequently see the countenances of the young girls sallow and unhealthy in Circassia, and their forms often ill-shaped; for it is not until being divested of their virginal corset, that they expand into what nature intended them to be. No other ceremony is observed at a Circassian bridal, except feasting and merry-making. At break of day the youth departs with his wife, presents her to his parents, and she is installed in the dwelling appropriated for her near their house; but, according to the custom of the people, her husband never visits her except by stealth,-a degree of disgrace being attached to the man who devotes his time to the society of his wife. Polygamy is allowed; but a Circassian is generally contented with one wife; or, at most, two."

Who can read the above, without wishing one, at least, of the same ceremonies were observed at our English weddings? We allude to the

cutting of the corsets, which so disfigure the persons of our fair countrywomen as to render them objects of real pity. Half their complaints are attributable to tight lacing, and more than half the deformities which we daily witness in our public streets, arise from the same cause. Alas, for the English Constitution !

Fraser's Magazine, August. J. Fraser.

A very excellent number, full of sparkling and spicy articles. "The Three Playthings,Bulwer, Butler, and Harper," is an admirablywritten review of the "Duchess de la Valliere," "The Star of Seville," and "Bertrand;" in which Bulwer, of course, is tomahawked, and Mrs. Butler also, because Mr. Bulwer has called her ،، Star of Seville ، a play-thing after his own heart.' Before this, Mrs. Butler was one of REGINA'S favorites!

The Review of “ Cooper's England ” is severe, but, we think, justly so,-that individual having assumed many ridiculous airs, and invested himself with a consequence that he was by no means entitled to.

We also recommend a perusal of the papers entitled ، Principles of Police, and their application to the Metropolis," and the "May Carnival at Exeter Hall." From the last, we subjoin an outline of some of the persons who compose the insane meetings (mis-called religious) which take place, periodically, at Exeter Hall. The bellowings of the frantic ranters on the platform are alone wanting to complete the picture:

"We have justly enough, we conceive-assigned the name of Carnival to the annual meetings at Exeter Hall. Our readers must be aware, that in the months of May and June, especially the former, the anniversaries of the various missionary and benevolent(!) institutions of the metropolis are celebrated at Exeter Hall. During several successive weeks, the large and little rooms of that capacious building are crowded every day; and one uninterrupted torrent of oratory-or, at least, vocal utterances-pours out from the fervid orators of the season. The meetings are made up of ladies chiefly, whose pockets are generally well primed with sandwiches, and in whose purses are carefully wrapt up one six-penny piece for every meeting during the season; with an extra half-penny or two for those meetings in which the more stimulating rhetoricians are expected to make a debut. Most of the regular auditors put on their heavy-metal shoes along with their light-metal purses, and contrive to make up by what the reporters call "thunders of applause" for the approaching thinness of the collection. The secretaries of the various societies read their reports, respecting the contents of which it may be said "ex uno disce omnes." The chief matter in these documents is the vast success that has followed the operations of the society, and the little success that has followed their aggressions upon the mammon of the pockets of their various auditories throughout the year."

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The writer of this article is a sensible man,witness his remarks on that gigantic humbug, the TEE-TOTAL SOCIETY:—

"The Tee-total Society, by way of illustrating the maxim that there is nothing so absurd that there can be found nothing absurder still, followed at a respectful interval. The strong commiseration that fastened itself on our mind could scarcely be kept down, when the platform of dry bones and bleached bits of mortality was disclosed to our sight. We felt powerfully tempted to walk down stairs to the committee-room of the

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and leave a respectful remonstrance on account of their culpable neglect in not summoning the directors and office-bearers of tee-totalism, as more guilty than the cats'-meat men with their dogs and carts appended to their tails. Most assuredly, if Mr. Martin were in the House, we should transmit him a petition on the subject."

With this extract, we are, reluctantly, obliged to conclude.

ANGLING.

afford amusement for the angler in various forms, but That princely fish, the SALMON, will, just now, particularly with the fly:

"On the dimpling eddy lightly fling

The hypocritic fly's unruffled wing." They may be taken with lob-worms and minnows, but the fly is the most killing bait. Salmon bite most freely from six in the morning till eleven, and from three in the afternoon till sun-set. These fish are fond of large rapid rivers, especially such as have pebbly or gravelly bottoms; and when feeding, prefer the rougher parts of gentle streams, and the tails of large ones. However, like carniverous animals, fish are much more on the alert during the night than the day, particularly the larger kinds; like the animals to which we have just alluded, they rove in search of prey in the night, and seek repose in the day, as if anxious to avoid the broad has been vainly tried for during the day, though well glare of light. Therefore, in places where the salmon known to be salmon haunts, if fished as soon as night has overshadowed the earth, success is sure to follow. It is highly probable that the fish, for the most part, which afford the angler amusement in the day, are such as have been unable to supply the cravings of hunger during the night, and have thus been prevented retiring to their wonted repose. In some of the waters salmon fishing, the principality sinks into nothingness of Wales, tolerable angling may be obtained; but for compared to some parts of North Britain, particularly the Highlands: those, therefore, who are anxious to enjoy salmon-fishing in perfection, will find the trouble of a visit to this part of the kingdom abundantly repaid.

The TROUT is supposed to afford the fly-fisher better diversion than the salmon, though the acquisition of the prize is not so imposing, from its inferior size and less value. The larger trouts feed in the swiftest streams, and are often found at the upper end of mill-pools, in deep holes, whirlpools, &c.

The GRAYLING is smaller than the trout, and is not perhaps so generally found: these fish will take similar flies to those used for the trout, but they rise more boldly, and if missed several times, will nevertheless come at the bait again.

The BARBEL is found in rivers only, and bites sharp and freely. When tried for in still holes, the angler will do well to throw in plenty of ground bait, soaked greaves and clay, mixed together in balls the size of an egg; also, worms chopped in pieces are a good ground

bait.

There are few fish but what may be angled for at this season of the year; and in the number we must not omit to mention the PIKE, who, though he pays no attention to the fly, affords the angler diversion in various ways, and the best possible sport in trolling.

AN ORDINARY-SIZED man, in the process of breathing, consumes about 46,000 cubic inches of oxygen every day, which is equivalent to 125 cubic feet of air. The ordinary respirations are about twenty in a minute, or two breathings for every seven pulsations. The oxygen which is inspired, is formed into carbonic acid by contact with the blood in the lungs. It seems that when one happens to be "flown with wine," or in plain language drunk," the quantity of carbonic acid formed in respiration is diminished.

HIPPODROME RACES.

This laudable establishment is carried on with a spirit of perseverance and liberality highly creditable to its managers, whom we earnestly advise to arrange several bills of fare for appointed periods next season: there might be the Produce Stakes, the Two Years Old Stakes, the Handicaps, the Innkeepers' Plate, the Metropolitan Tureen, and even the Bayswater Cup; for it cannot be supposed that the lunar influence which has for some time operated so powerfully, so foolishly, and so self-prejudicially, on some of the inhabitants of this beautiful hamlet, will become perpetual. Nor does it follow that, because a regular arrangement of future events takes place, such a measure should necessarily exclude that sort of desultory racing we have lately witnessed, matches, &c., for which the situation of this institution is so admirably calculated.

VAUXHALL GARDENS.

Amongst the mass of entertainments to be met with nightly at VAUXHALL, there is one which deserves to be especially mentioned. We allude to the exhibition of groups of classical sculpture by living models. We understand that this particular exhibition was the invention of Mr. Frederick Gye; and if so, it is not too much to say that the taste with which it was conceived, and the skill which has been exhibited in its production, deserve our highest encomiums. The groups are about twelve in number, selected principally from the choicest specimens in the Florentine gallery. By the introduction of the light invented by Lieutenant Drummond, a magical effect is produced, at once novel and beautiful. The figures are consecutively placed upon a pedestal in the centre of the stage, the whole of which, as well as the rotunda, is darkened. The light is then thrown with great intensity directly on the group,

which is made to resemble lifeless marble; and with such striking effect is this done, that the spectators are induced to believe the exhibition consists really of casts from sculpture, instead of grouping by living artists. These performances merit public patronage on the ground of their being well adapted to improve public taste in one of the branches of the fine arts. The middle classes of the English people are too unaccustomed to classical models; and in this respect, their continental neighbors possess many advantages unknown in a great degree in this country. The public exhibition of works by standard masters has always been a desired event by all well-wishers of the fine arts. In the total absence of any such public exhibition, we turn with pleasure to this attempt of Mr. Gye to purify the taste of his countrymen, by displaying the elegancies of sculpture in a very attractive way.

NOTICES.

We shall feel obliged to our Contemporaries—some of whom, we observe, copy WHOLESALE from our columns, to mention the SOURCE from whence they obtain their information. This is no more than an act of JUSTICE towards the "IDLER."

PART 3 of THE IDLER, containing the numbers for the Month of July, is now ready. Also New Editions of Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

THE IDLER is published EVERY FRIDAY AFTERNOON at 3 o'clock, at the office, 7, TAVISTOCK STREET. Our COUNTRY CORRESPONDENTS will greatly oblige us by forwarding their LOCAL NEWSPAPERS,-intelligence of Country Theatricals being always acceptable to our London Readers.

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THE THEATRES.

"See that the Players be well used."-Hamlet. "Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." Othello.

HAYMARKET.-On Saturday last, a new Musical Drama, entitled the Young King, was produced for the first time. The incidents are supposed to take place in the year 1701, and the plot is as follows:-Aloyse (Miss TAYLOR), the daughter of Martin Erete, an old garde chasse, who is living at Nevers, on the road from Paris to Boulogne, is attached to her cousin, Henri Moreau (COLLINS), a young officer-her choice being approved of by her father and her aunt, Madame Ram Ramilye (Mrs. GLOVER), the consequential relict of a Dutch Burgomaster. Their happiness is interrupted by the intrusion of M. Putzi (FARREN), Mayor of Nevers, who, has declared himself an admirer of Aloyse, and of whom, her father, being indebted to him a large Anjou, (Mrs. NISBETT), is travelling incog., acsum, cannot easily get rid. Philip, Duke of companied by the Spanish colonel Montero, (HAINES), when the horse of the former suddenly starting, he is nearly thrown over a precipice, and his fate is only averted by the heroic Aloyse, who catches hold of the bridle. The cavaliers are invited to a fête held in honor of Aloyse's birth-day, and the simple countrypeople are greatly delighted at the liberality of Philip, who, contrary to the remonstrances of Montero, determines to pass the day and night at the house of the old garde-chasse. In the mean time, the news arrives that Charles, King of Spain, is no more, and that Philip of Anjou is appointed his successor. The agitation of the young prince, on hearing this intelligence, convinces Aloyse, who has already perceived that he is of the highest rank, that he is no other than the King of Spain. Soon afterwards, she overhears Montero plotting against him, and fearing that some mischief will befal him on his departure, resolves to detain him until the troops arrive, to acknowledge him. Fortunately for her plans, some of the Crown jewels had lately been stolen, and orders are issued to stop suspicious persons on the road to Boulogne. The