REVIEW OF MUSIC.

The Letter. By Samuel Lover. Duff. We hardly know which to commend most,the words, or the music, of this little trifle. They are both beautiful. For the sake of our readers who have friends and relatives far distant, we copy the words, entire :

"A small spark attached to the wick of the candle is considered to indicate the arrival of a letter to the one before whom it burns."

"Fare thee well, love, now thou art going

Over the wild and trackless sea;
Smooth be its waves and fair the wind blowing,
Though 'tis to bear thee far from me:
But when, on the waste of ocean,

Some happy home-bound bark you see,
Swear by the truth of thy heart's devotion,
To send a letter back to me.

Think of the shore thou'st left behind thee,
Even when reaching a brighter strand;
Let not the golden glories blind thee,
Of that gorgeous Indian land:
Send me not its diamond treasures,

Nor pearls from the depth of its sunny sea:
But tell me of all your woes and pleasures,
In a long letter back to me.

But while dwelling in lands of pleasure,

Think, as you bask in their bright sunshine,
That while the lingering time I measure,
Sad and wintry hours are mine;

Lonely, by my taper weeping,

And watching the spark of promise to see,
All for that bright spark my night-watch keeping,
For, oh, 'tis a letter, love, from thee !
To say that soon thy sail will be flowing,
Homeward to bear thee over the sea;
Calm be the waves, and swift the wind blowing,
For, oh! thou art coming back to me !"

EXHIBITIONS.

THE DIORAMA,

REGENT'S PARK.

This is always one of the most interesting of "the Exhibitions." The subjects of the pictures are generally well chosen, and as generally well treated, "with the effects of light and shade," by the Chevalier Bouton. The advantage of large views of great objects is sufficiently apparent, and a good picture will give a better idea of a city, or the aspect of a country, than whole volumes of description; yet this useful information is communicated almost instantly at a glance, and in the most agreeable way. It is moreover remarkable that impressions received through the medium of the eye, live longer in the memory than those formed in any way so far from the rapidity with which knowledge is received being unfavorable to its endurance. Impressions are the more striking as they are quick, not dead. The present views at the Diorama are of the Basilica (ancient Hall of Justice-late Christian Church) of St. Paul at Rome; and the Village of Alagna in Piedmont; both painted by the artist abovenamed, but we think hardly with his usual excellence, the Basilica being deficient in effect of size; and the village in distinctness of effect. Both pictures are seen under dexterously-man

aged aspects, as is customary here, each increasing the spectator's interest in the scenes. The Basilica being first beheld as it appeared before the disastrous fire some fourteen years ago, with its gilden and pictorial honors thick upon it; anon, the cedar roof disappears, and the marble columns that supported it lie in fragments, or remain standing as maimed monuments of desolation round them. This once magnificent temple was erected by Constantine (the murderer called) the Great. In noticing the next picture, we need say nothing in explanation of the nature of Alpine avalanchesthose huge thunderbolts of snow which seem to realize the fables of Olympus, whence the angry Jove flung desolation down; or, if our readers are at a loss for an idea, we do not know where they will receive so good a notion, save from nature, as in witnessing the representation before us of the Village of Alagna overwhelmed. The ear as well as the eye are acted on by the artist. We have already named our principal objection to this admirable work, we may add that the moonlight is ill-managed. These, however, are but trifling drawbacks to the merits of an exhibition which, we are happy to see, the public agree with us in appreciating highly.

NOTICES.

THE IDLER is published EVERY FRIDAY MORNING at 10 o'Clock, at the office, 7, TAVISTOCK STREET. PART 5 of THE IDLER, containing the numbers for the Month of September, is now ready. Also New Editions of all the early numbers.

Our COUNTRY CORRESPONDENTS will greatly oblige us by forwarding their LOCAL NEWSPAPERS,-intelligence of Country Theatricals being always acceptable to our London Readers.

All Books, &c. intended for EARLY Review, should be sent in, not later than WEDNESDAY. ADVERTISEMENTS will be received till TWELVE O'Clock on Thursday, and only a LIMITED number taken. ALL COMMUNICATIONS must be POST PAID; or they

will not be received.

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

atrical world,-owing to the "benefit nights," The past has been so dull a week in the thewhich appear to have been general, at nearly all the theatres, that we shall gladly devote the space usually allotted to these matters to the admission of more miscellaneous information. We must, however, just glance at the

Haymarket, for the purpose of saying a few words on the performance of Mr. PHELPS, in Hamlet. It is neither a good, nor a bad performance; inasmuch as it exhibits the usual unevenness of the actor. In some parts, he is tame to a fault; in others, prosy and whining to a degree. When, however, he understands the meaning of his author, and identifies himself with the character, he may be

called respectable; beyond which, we fear he will never arrive. His best scene was that in which the King and Queen are seated to behold the play. Here he entered fully into the feeling of the character, and accordingly succeeded well. We observe that many injudicious friends are still planted in various parts of the house to "applaud;" this is a mark of very bad taste. After the personation of Othello, announced for Thursday, but which we have not yet seen, we think Mr. PHELPS' course, as a "star," will be fully run. He will then give place to other "novelties." HAINES, as the Ghost, is humorous in the extreme, and forms a great relief to the heavy part of the business. His reading of Shakspeare is unique. POWER still draws crowded houses; and encreases, if possible, in public favor. His Sir Major O'Dogherty, in St. Patrick's Eve, is a master-piece of its kind. It is worth the price of admission, too, to see Miss E. PHILLIPS in this piece. She enacts the part of Catherine (one of the King's Wards), and makes the character one of intense interest. This young lady is rapidly progressing in her profession. The elegance of her manners, the purity of her diction, and her unaffected modesty, have excited general observation. We trust every opportunity will be afforded her, of appearing frequently before the public. A few more such actresses would be an acquisition.

A variety of Theatrical Gossip will be found under the head of Chit-Chat.

ANGLING.

We advise such of our readers as are fond of Roach, Dace, and Barbel fishing, to pay a visit to Twickenham, forthwith. WE have been there twice within the last week, and had some glorious sport, which we mean to follow up closely. Owing to the late unfavorable state of the weather, and the prevalent East winds, the fish have hitherto been comparatively undisturbed by the sportsman; who has tried, in vain, to lure them by his tempting baits. They are now, however, in good humor; and with a little patience, may be easily taken,-few averaging less, and many considerably more, than a quarter of a pound weight. The most killing bait is a gentle, if they refuse this, the matter is hopeless. The principal fisherman of the place is named Richard COXEN; he has resided there more than thirty years, and knows all the favorite haunts in the river. There is at present, a vast quantity of weed remaining in the river; it will therefore be better to angle in the shallows, at the edge of the "deep," directly opposite the villa of Sir Wathen Waller. Every particular connected with Angling in the river Thames,—directions for the choice of Rods, Lines, Hooks, &c., will be found amply detailed in KIDD'S PRACTICAL HINTS FOR THE USE OF ANGLERS; a Seventh Edition of which is just published, price 1s. 6d.

THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER.

On this Field-day, it was our ill-fortune-for we are like Colonel Sibthorpe, we hate Railways-to avail ourselves of "the train " to Box Moor. At the start

ing post, so to speak, in the terra incognita, near a place they call Euston Square, we were a good deal waiting. surprised at the sporting appearance of the passengers There were as many guns as would have served a decent company of skirmishers, and as many dogs as would have stocked a liberal-sized kennel. We recollected that we were on the eve of the 1st of September, but we were not aware that "to shoot" from a steam-carriage on a rail-road was a verb-active. Of the passive sense of the word under such circumstances there are too many cases on record to admit of one's doubting for a moment; and "to shoot" from a locomotive is now as common-and as dangerous-as "" shoot" the bridge used to be, before Rennie substituted his structure for the trans-aquatic road clumsily conmatter of history. But, that shooting was intended trived by some King, who, centuries ago, was only a

to

there can be no reasonable room to doubt. Young gentlemen-we like to be courteous-in bran-new fustian jacks, with shining yellow buttons, and leather object should not be misunderstood. gaiters unconscious of a wetting, took care that their The guns were not in cases, as all the world's guns are now-a-days. They had nothing but list covers, which were hung listless on one of the owner's arms, while the other held aloft the deadly weapon. Then the dogs, a more miscellaneous collection never turned out at a rat or a duck hunt. Real bulls, with genuine tobacco-pipe tails, bull-terriers, spaniels, poodles, and even pugs, had tried steam-carriages for the first time, as a mode were to be found in the pack. Country gentlemen, who of judging the merits of the future steam-plough, stared with astonishment at the singular combination of canine and human puppies, and inwardly resolved, in the most mannerly way possible, that their manors were in no risk from this new invasion of the Goths. A few Irishwomen-jewels from the "first jim of the say"-on their road from shifting in St. Giles' to shearing in Hertfordshire, "wonthered why the dhogs did not think of the 29th," and emancipate themselves from the domination of their masters.

In short, every one was surprised: and this at the commencement of the trip. The surprise, however, became confirmed as the train advanced. In the darkness of the tunnel under Primrose-hill, the dogs simultaneously bayed in the most lunatic manner possible, though no moon was to be seen. The late hot weather gave rise to suspicions that made the passengers look with especial anxiety to their shins; and the uneasiness was not dissipated till "the train stopped for a The instantaneous effect produced on supply of water. the dogs, by the rattling of the element through the hose into the boiler, was remarkable. The unhappy "hanimals," as their owners called them, were so eager for a share of the liquid, that many of them singed their claws against the heated iron, in their eagerness to qualify themselves as Temperance Society beasts. But the empressement of the quadrupeds was outdone by that of their biped proprietors, as a flight of small birds on one side of the road elicited the exclamation of "A covey, by Jove!" while half-a-dozen crows on the other were greeted by the enthusiastic remark, "There's black game in these parts!"

After such preparations, who could predict what would be the slaughter of this day? That something was shot we have no doubt; but whether iron rails were ironically mistaken for land-rails, or Cockneys killed instead of cock-sparrows, it is impossible to say. Two things, however, are certain; some mischief was done, and something mischievous destroyed.

slightly changing color," Widders are 'ceptions to every WIDOWS." Widders, Sammy," replied Mr. Weller,

rule. I have heard how many ord'nary women one widder's equal to, in pint o' comin' over you. I think it's five-and-twenty, but I don't rightly know vether it aint more."-Pickwick.

SINGULAR SERPENT.-A late number of the Indian Medical Journal contains an account, submitted to the Calcutta Medical Society, of a previously undescribed species of venomous serpent, belonging to the genus Naja, with some drawings of the reptile. The natives state that some individuals are found upwards of twelve feet long; a size extraordinary for a venomous serpent. It is caught in the Sunderbunds and in the neighborhood of Calcutta. This serpent usually feeds upon others, and those in Dr. Canter's possession were regularly fed by giving them living snakes once a fortnight, without regard to their being venomous or otherwise. Dr. C. remarked upon the error of those naturalists who say that serpents never.drink; these animals drink, and moisten their tongues, which with the Ophidians, whose tongues are not situated in the cavity of the mouth become two different acts. This snake differs from the other varieties of venomous serpents, in feeding willingly when in confinement, though no other Ophidian of its class is known to do so. The fresh poison of the snake is a pellucid fluid, of the consistence of a solution of gum arabic in water, and reddens litmus paper slightly; when kept for some time, showing more decided acid qualities, losing however a great deal of its deleterious properties.

VARIETIES.

A MAGISTERIAL HINT TO CORNUTED HUSBANDS. -An advertisement has just appeared in the Times, signed G. C. Norton, announcing that Caroline Elizabeth Sarah, his wife, having on the 30th of March, 1836, left him, her family, and home, and continued to live apart; and that having provided for her separate maintenance a certain annual allowance, which she has refused to accept; and she having subsequently contracted debts for articles of luxury, for some of which actions of debt have been brought against him (Mr. Norton), he gives notice that he will not be answerable for any debts she may have contracted since the 30th of March, 1836.

CONSOLATORY REFLECTION.-"Well, it's no use talking about it now," said Sam. "It's over, and can't be helped, and that's one consolation, as they alvays says in Turkey, ven they cuts the wrong man's head off."-Pickwick.

JOEY MUNDEN.-So he was called when he lived, where his canonized bones are, we cannot say; peace to his manes! Old Dornton was a very "near" man, and when he played we were always "near" him. Upon one occasion he met a lavender-water actor in the Strand; the perfumed Thespian, in great rapture thus addressed him: "Mr. Munden, I had the felicitous honor, sir, of playing with you at Manchester." "Is it possible?" responded Joey, from the corners of his mouth. "Yes, sir, it is; and as I understand you are about to leave the boards, I shall feel proudly, indeed, illustriously happy, if you would condescendingly permit us to exchange mutual tokens of respect." "With all my heart," responded Joey, looking at his own cheap gingham umbrella, and with a quaint glance at the new silk one of the perfumed, "With all my heart, sir, suppose we change umbrellas." Upon another occasion, Joey met his old friend, Mr. Kaye, of the Albion Tavern. Kaye said, in his peculiarly gastronomic way, "Well, Joey, I've a bone to pick with you; 'pon honor, I have, Joey." "Have you, indeed," said Cockletop, "well then, sir, let's pick it at your house, in Aldersgate-street, at five o'clock." After dinner, Kaye said, “Why, Joey, you pulled your purse-strings | t'other day, at the Freemason's; half-a-guinea, Joey -heavy for you." "Ah, sir," rejoined Justice Woodcock, "I certainly went; but then you know, my boy, that I left early, and had the choice of the great coats and umbrellas. I lost nothing, Charley, and a dinner in the bargain, eh!!"

CHIT-CHAT.

FARREN has been playing at Leicester during the week; and will be succeeded on Monday, by Paumier. BRAHAM has been playing at Bristol, to full houses. The services of FORESTER have been secured by Mr. Braham for the opening of the St. James's.

STIRLING is actively engaged upon a new drama, founded, it is said, upon one of Byron's most popular poems, and which is to be forthcoming at the New City Theatre.

Mr. and Mrs. KEELEY have been resting most profitably at Liverpool, after the fatigues of their voyage. Yates, we hear, is in treaty with both for the Adelphi.

Power will appear at the Adelphi on the 29th instant, in Lover's dramatic version of his beautiful novel, Rory O'More.

Morris BARNETT has been delighting the good folks of Northampton, by his performance of Monsieur Jacques, and other favorite characters.

GARRICK.This pretty theatre will re-open on Monday next, under the spirited management of Messrs. Gomersal and Conquest; on which occasion, three entirely new pieces will be produced. The company embraces a number of favorite performers; and we observe, with much pleasure, that Mr. Hill is appointed leader of the Band.

HUMMEL.-We rejoice to hear of the recovery of HUMMEL, the great musician, from so alarming and painful a disorder, that his physicians had given him over, and his family were summoned around him. is now at the baths at Kissengen, near Wartzburgh, in Bavaria, and happily in better health than ever.

He

|

The CORONATION, it is rumored, will take place in May, when a series of fetes on a princely scale at the new palace, to commemorate the auspicious event, will take place. Many foreign princes belonging to the reigning families of Europe, will come over, it is said, to be present at the ceremony.

Mr. T. GREEN (the evergreen) is to take the leading comic business at the Norton Folgate Theatre.

Printed by J. Eames, 7, Tavistock St., Covent Garden.

Published for the Proprietor by GEORGE DENNEY, at the Office, 7, Tavistock St. Covent Garden: sold also by Hetherington, 126, Strand; Strange, 21, and Steill, 20, Paternoster Row Purkiss, Compton Street; and James Pattie, 4, Brydges Street, Covent Garden.

VOL. I.-No. 21.]

ADVERTISING.

The science, or art, (which is it?) of advertising is yet in its infancy;-books, blacking, horses, houseinaids, shawls, cauls, and estates, are made known by means of the columns of newspapers, or the covers of magazines, and some of them, in a way which is more complimentary to the thing advertised, than to the understandings of those to whom the advertisement is addressed, and this is called puffing,-a very coarse term, and manifestly designed to reprove those who think rather too highly of their own productions. Alas! we live in a censorious world, and there is no knowing how to escape censure. Yet, notwithstanding all the fuss and sneering about advertising and puffing, I confess that the science seems to me yet in its infancy, for much that might be advertised is not, and much that is advertised, is, owing to a false delicacy, not spoken of in terms laudatory enough. I will grant, indeed, that the merits of Warren's blacking are duly set forth, and that Day and Martin, with all their anxiety to prevent imposition, do not speak less warmly than they feel, in praise of their sable liquid. They do not wait for reviewers to pronounce an opinion, but they give their own, and heartily speak out. Now, authors and pub

lishers are more modest: they do not give their own recommendation, but they wait the word from the critics; or if they do communicate their own opinions to the world, it is not in their own persons, or as their own opinions-they buy the trumpet, and pay the man who blows it; but why should they be thus seemingly modest? Why should they not directly and plainly, in their own persons, tell the public what a pleasant and profitable book they have respectively written and published? If I have an estate to sell, and if I commission an auctioneer to sell it for me, the advertisement appears in the papers, and makes no bones of saying all manner of fine things in favor of the said estate-it is not submitted to critics, but it is plainly and boldly advertised, as possessing every possible advantage: in a word, it is praised as much as it will possibly bear. [No. 6. NEW SERIES.]

[PRICE ONE PENNY.

Why should not books be served in the same way? Why should sly little lurking paragraphs be insidiously thrust into the newspapers, masking self-praise in a way that a blacking man would scorn to do? When Robert Warren tells you the story of the cat and the boot, he directs you in the same paragraph to the house where the wonderful liquid is to be bought. There is no impudence so beautiful as bare faced impudence-I hate the covering of the face with a fan and peeping through the sticks: I abhor the jesuitical alternate shutters at a pastry-cook's shop on a Sunday. I dislike any indi rectness where the direct meaning is obvious. No-if books are to be advertised, let them be advertised with

all appliances and means to boot. If a book is to be bought, it must be known, and if its title is to be known, its contents ought also to be known, and its beauties. And who knows these so well as the author? By all means, then, let the author, or the publisher, instructed by the author, et forth in the form of an advertisement, the sundry beauties and sublimities of the work; let them not mince the matter, but, with as little ceremony as a draper advertises his shop as the cheapest in London, let an author advertise his book as the first and finest production of the day. Furthermore, not only are books imperfectly advertised, but they are also quacking. What have the brick walls done, that they not nearly so extensively advertised as blacking and

should not have their share of book advertisements? Matchless Hunt and Dr. Eady have found "chalking the walls" answer very well. Moreover, I have seen peripatetics, who bear long poles announcing cheap cook-shops; and when I have come out of Mr. Colburn's, sorrowful at the tidings that my last novel did not sell, I have wished to see it recommended to public notice, after the fashion of the pole and the placard: and if at any future time Dr. Eady shall find his name rubbed out, and the title of my new novel put in its place, he may guess who did it. By the way, now I think of it, was it not formerly the practice for Lottery Office keepers to placard the outside of errand carts with lottery puffs? What convenient things the omnibusses would be for the same purpose; not for advertising lotteries, but for advertising books. I have heard many

REVIEW OF BOOKS.

By the Rev. Dr. Vale. G. Odell.

and an author.

Author.-You have looked over my MS. ?

Publisher. I have; and really, as the market now stands, it would be more to my advantage to sell the books that I have printed, than to purchase any more MSS. Novels do not sell as they used to do.

Author.-Perhaps I had better try some other line. Publisher.-Perhaps you had ;-what subjects can you write upon?

Author.-Any,-nothing comes amiss.
Publisher.-Can you write brick walls?
Author.-Certainly.

upon

Publisher. Then take this piece of chalk, and go and write on them the names of my new novels, and you will immediately rise in literary dignity; for, instead of being paid a penny a line, you shall be paid a penny a word.

But, while some things are advertised imperfectly, others are not advertised at all. How many a talented youth at the bar is in want of a brief because he is not advertised. Surely it is a false delicacy, and altogether a piece of mock modesty, that a barrister, of all people in the world, should affect to have any hesitation about advertising himself. Only imagine, for a moment, in how many interesting and attractive forms a barrister might set forth his profession and capabilities! For example :

"IMPORTANT TO HOUSEBREAKERS, PICKPOCKETS, AND ROGUES IN GENERAL.-Jeremiah Snooks, barrister-at-law, Pump Court, begs to inform his friends and the public in general, that he undertakes, at the Old Bailey, the defence of gentlemen accused of any violation of the laws; that he has a peculiarly happy knack of confusing witnesses by his mode of cross-examining; that he has already saved two housebreakers from the gallows, seventeen thieves from transportation, and sundry other gentlemen from minor punishments. J.S. flatters himself that if all the defences of the accused were committed to him, there would be no convictions at all, and the hangman must starve for want of a job. All law work done on the lowest terms, and in the neatest manner, for ready money only."

What an addition would be presently made to the funds of newspapers, and what a general stimulus would be given to business of all kinds, if the practice of advertising were carried to the extent to which it might be, and how very interesting the papers would become! The letters sent to the proprietors of patent medicines, acknowledging miraculous cures, are entertaining, and bring grist to the mill: equally agreeable to the general reader, and profitable to the legal practitioner, would be the following:

"Dear Sir, I beg leave to acknowledge, with the most heartfelt gratitude, your great skill and dexterity in saving my neck from the gallows, last session. The evidence against me was as clear as daylight, and I had not a leg to stand on; but the clever style in which you bothered the witnesses, and made them contradict themselves and one another, demands my warmest thanks. To the last hour of my life I shall never forget it; and you may be assured, that, if I am ever caught again, I shall not think of having recourse to any other professional assistance than yours. now pick pockets and break into houses with the greatest confidence.-I am, sir, your much obliged humble servant, "RALPH HEMPSEED. "To Jeremiah Snooks, Esq., Barrister-at-law.

I can

"N.B. The above has been sworn to before the Lord Mayor."

AN OBEDIENT HUSBAND.-"Hold your tongue for a fool," said an amiable lady to her lord one evening, in a little family party. "I am silent," he replied, "as your ladyship is about to speak."

It would appear from the preface, that this little work was first published about thirty years ago, and that it has been out of print for some time past. We are glad to see a third edition of it now issued to the public, who will derive considerable benefit from a perusal of its contents. The Science of Rhetoric is here carefully explained, and rendered easy of comprehension; and that, with very little effort on the part of the reader, who, if his intellect be only tolerably bright, may speedily become a proficient. The definitions, illustrations, and examples, are concise but clear; and written with much simplicity apart from affectation.

Haymarket.

The announcement of Mr. PHELPS in the character of Othello, drew a tolerable house; but we are sorry to say that, considered as a whole, the performance was a All, or at least the greater complete failure.

part of, the favorite passages, were given with a new and ridiculous reading, and the actor was, in several instances, imperfect. His voice, too,

was under little or no control; and he ranted so as to split the very ears of the groundlings. We must admit, however, that he labored under very considerable disadvantages. Miss ALLISON was the Desdemona! and she played the character like a whining young lady fresh from a boarding school. Iago was sustained by Mr. ELTON, who did little beyond repeating the words that were set down for him. The intellectual villany, necessary to complete the character as Shakspeare drew it, was altogether wanting, and we saw only Mr. ELTON. Cassio, too, was sadly burlesqued by VINING, who plays nearly every character alike. We could not help smiling, when Othello, addressing him, said "Cassio! I love thee, but never more be officer of mine." Love for such an animal could never, surely, have entered the breast of the real Othello. Of the other performers, HAINES, GOUGH, &c. &c., little need be said. They knew the words they had to utter, and this was all they cared for. The Emilia of Miss HUDDART was, however, spirited and effective; and afforded much relief to the general cast.

On Saturday was produced, for the first time, a new drama from the pen of Mr. SERLE, entitled the Queen of the Beggars; of which we need observe little more than that it is a very pitiful and trashy affair; full of improbabilities, and inconsistencies, throughout. The principal characters are Miss HUDDART, the Queen of the Beggars; and ELTON, as Rowland Ormsby, an outcast, who has made a great impression on the