asks-whatiences and scenes of the most repulsive nature passengers were obliged to spend 12 or 15 hours huddled together within a space not fit for the accommodation of half the number conveyed. Instead of two there are now five canal passage boats in use, and two steam tugs, besides 48 horses. This improvement has enormous advantages, but will circumstances. On the Nile, instead of one there be felt best by those who have travelled under both are four steamboats. The Desert, too, has lost most of its terrors. At the time to which I allude, and subsequently, I have seen and shared serious privations. But this has undergone a change. The wretched horses formerly in use have been replaced with efficient ones, their number increased from 80 to 250; a relay, instead of every 40 or 60 miles, now established at every station, say every 10 miles; the vans and harness refitted and repaired, the station-houses fitted up most comfortably, and an English male and female attendant at the centre and principal bungalow; all the dependents the middle ages. But one about religion-the church? Where is here a general soothing, satisfying, effectual remedy to be found-a reconciling of opposites discoverable? Our answer is: the depths of cavil and contradiction must become exhausted, as they now are pretty much for the first time, before a reconciliation can become imaginable, or before a reformation can begin. No one can as much as conjecture in what sense such a re-formation is to ensue, and consequently no one can determine whether it has already begun or not. But, at all events, at this point a vista opens upon us of an indeterminable duration of the present ferment. We do not even know in which season we are of the current year of the universal cy-throughout the line better ordered and more civil, cle; whether we are yet in the vernal season, or whether autumn is at hand. Sufficient for us, is the persuasion, that the world is not on the point of dissolution, but rushing onward to some grand transformation, or rather re-modelling, re-formation, and that the present sufferings and throes of humanity shall subside, her infirmities will be healed, to give place to other infirmities. Should, however, the procreative sap once ascend into the upper branches, evolving research and creative intellect, the common mind will again yield untaint. ed, genuine blossom and fruit. Yet, while even now, imperceptibly to us, a new germ of the beautiful and of a true living nationality, is slowly developing from the heart of the people, that which poetry and art have produced by its unnatural and soulless alliance with science, may cause yet greater confusion, until those weeds shall be choked by the fresh and healthy vegetaAnd we see, therefore, no cause in the world to despair, even if our social, literary, artistical, theatrical, and every other characteristic institution of the day, should appear to succeeding generations to be the same as the last scarcely departed century is to many a one among us, the good old time. tion. and none of that extortion which was practised at PREMATURE RISE OF THE NILE.-A very rethe periodical flux of the Nile. From time immemarkable anomaly has been observed this year in morial the first day of the rise of the Nile has ensued soon after the summer solstice, and at Cairo the phenomenon has usually taken place some time between the 1st and the 10th of July; this year, however, there was a rise of the river on the night of the 5th of May, consequently two months earlier than usual. This rise contined only four days, after which the water fell, and it still continues falling as it always does until the period of the summer rise of the river, and only a few instances are solstice. History affords no example of so early a recorded of a second rise taking place shortly after the first. One of these instances occurred in the reign of Cleopatra, and the other in the year 1737. -Bell's Weekly Messenger. IMPOST ON MERCHANDISE THROUGH EGYPT.The Pacha of Egypt has issued a proclamation esTHE CROSSING OF THE DESERT.-Extract of a tablishing the transit duty of only half per cent. on letter dated Alexandria, June 20th, 1843:-"It the declared value of all merchandise in transitu gives me great pleasure, in taking a retrospect of between India and Europe, subject to very rational the last 12 months, during which time I have cross-regulations. The duty must be paid at Alexandria ed the entire of Egypt 13 times, and as far as Cairo for the merchandise landed at that port, and also no fewer than 29 times, to bear testimony to the for that landed at Suez. In case of fraud being amazing change that has been wrought in the sys- manifest, either in the denomination or valuation tem and means of transit. At that time the means of the merchandise, the Custom-house, after having and arrangements of the canal navigation were of proved the fraud by opening the packages, will the most wretched description, and amid inconven-charge a duty of ten per cent.-Britannia. WORDSWORTH'S GREECE.* From the Dublin University Magazine. should have been the voice of truth. The temples of Athens should not have been to him mere schools of art. He should not have considered them as existing, in order that he might examine their details, measure their heights, delineate their forms, copy their mouldings, and trace the vestiges of coloring still visible upon them. They should not have afforded materials merely for his compass or his pencil, but for his affections and for his religion. We commence our description of this city with "This, we gladly confess, is not our case. avowing the fact, that it is impossible at this time to convey, or entertain an idea of Athens such as it appeared of old to the eyes of one of its inhabitants. But there is another point of view from which we love to contemplate it--one which supplies us with reflections of deeper interest, and raises in the heart sublimer emotions than could have been ever suggested in ancient days by the sight of Athens to an Athenian. THIS very beautiful book is worthy of the name of Greece, and of another name now classical in England by a double claim, that of Wordsworth. As regards the pictorial, it delineates almost every thing-scenery, buildings, costume; and has besides numberless fanciful vignettes. There are upwards of three hundred and fifty engravings on wood, and twenty-eight on steel, all by such artists as Copley, Fielding, F. Creswick, D. Cox, Harvey, Paul Huet, Meissonier, Sargent, Daubigny, and Jacques. The descriptive paints Greece as it was, and again as it is; and with the hand of one who is master of his subject, thoroughly acquainted with the ancient and modern "We see Athens in ruins. On the central geography of the country, and an accom- rock of its Acropolis exist the remains, in a muplished observer in all that relates to the tilated state, of three temples-the temple of arts. The historical portion, in like man- Victory, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum; ner, exhibits the learning and judgment of of the Propyleea in the same place; at its westhe author. The traveller in Greece will still standing; of the theatre on the south side find this, we are inclined to think, the very of the Acropolis, in which the dramas of Eschybest book he could take with him-no oth-los, Sophocles, and Euripides were represented, er work contains, perhaps, so much mat- some stone steps remain. Not a vestige surter in one fair octavo; and it has this fur-vives of the courts in which Demosthenes pleadther advantage, that whatever information ed. There is no trace of the academic porches Dr. Wordsworth gives us on subjects of of Plato, or of the lyceum of Aristotle. The this class, comes stamped with acknow- pocile of the Stoics has vanished; only a few of ledged authority. The classical student, albeit that he never makes a voyage except it be autor de sa chambre, will find in these pages most interesting and abundant information; and the poet, the architect, and the antiquarian may gather from them quite enough to repay a perusal. One or two short extracts may give some idea of the manner and matter of the book. The passage which follows leads to his description of Athens: - tern entrance, some walls and a few columns are the long walls which ran along the plain and united Athens with its harbors, are yet visible. Even nature herself appears to have undergone a change. The source of the fountain Callirrhoe has almost failed; the bed of the Illissus is nearly dry; the harbor of the Piræus is narrowed and made shallow by mud. "But while this is so, while we are forcibly and mournfully reminded by this spectacle of the perishable nature of the most beautiful objects which the world has seen, while we read in the ruins of these temples of Athens, and in the total extinction of the religion to which they were dedicated, an apology in behalf of Christianity, and a refutation of paganism, more forcible and eloquent than any of those which were composed and presented to the Roman emperor by Aristides and Quadratus in this place, we are naturally led by it to contrast the permanence and vitality of the spirit and intelligence which produced these works, of which the vestiges either exist in a condition of ruinous decay, or have entirely disappeared, with the fragility of the material elements of which they are com "To describe Athens, a man should be an Athenian, and speak the Athenian language. He should have long looked upon its soil with a feeling of almost religious reverence. He should have regarded it as ennobled by the deeds of illustrious men, and have recognized in them his own progenitors. The records of its early history should not be to him a silence; they should not have been the objects of laborious research, but should have been familiar to him from his infancy-have sprung up, as it were, sponta-posed. neously in his mind, and have grown with his "Not at Athens alone are we to look for growth. Nor should the period of its remote Athens. The epitaph-Here is the heart: the antiquity be to him a land of shadows-a pla-spirit is everywhere-may be applied to it. tonic cave in which unsubstantial forms move From the gates of the Acropolis, as from a mothbefore his eyes as if he were entranced in a dream. To him the language of its mythology Greece, Pictorial, Descriptive, and Historical. By Christopher Wordsworth, D. D. Royal 8vo. London: W. S. Orr & Co. er city, issued intellectual colonies into every region of the world. These buildings now before us, ruined as they are at present, have served for two thousand years as models of the most admired fabrics in every civilized country of the world. Having perished here, they sur vive there. They live in them as in their legit- her, the islands, nurseries for a maritime imate offspring. Thus the genius which con- population, her facilities for communicating ceived and executed these magnificent works, with other countries-all led to a system while the materials on which it labored are dis solved, has itself proved immortal. We, therefore, at the present time, having witnessed the fact, have more cogent reasons for admiring the consummate skill which created them, than were possessed by those who saw these structures in their original glory and beauty."-pp. 129, 130, 131. These eloquent and able passages attest the scholarship of the author. He goes on to observe that it is not in the material productions of Athens that her spirit is still seen it survives in the intellectual creations of her great minds; and the interest which they have given to the soil, invests it with new and strange charms for us of modern times. Dr. Wordsworth then enters into a minute account of the remarkable buildings of Athens-a subject on which no one in these times could venture to say much, who had not some confidence in his classical acquirements, and in his knowledge of the arts. Dr. Wordsworth is well known to be a sure guide in all these matters. His name alone might give character to the book, but it would fail to do it justice. It is so beautifully got up, that to be appreciated it must be seen. The passage we have quoted may give our readers a very fair impression of the author's style; but being only introductory to more detailed observations, it does not exhibit any thing of the fulness and variety of matter for which the work is very remarkable. We had pencilled some other passages for extracts. One giving the fable and the history of Theseus, another sug gesting with much ingenuity and apparent truth, that the systems of education adopted at Athens and in Sparta-systems strongly contrasted in all points-arose from the physical forms of the two countries. The site of Sparta at a distance from the coast, secluded in a valley at the extremity of Greece, led to a system of self-dependence, abstinence, and denial, and to that principle of implicit obedience to the law, so emphatically described," says Dr. Wordsworth, in the epitaph engraved upon the tomb of the Spartan heroes who fell at Thermopyla" Oh, stranger, go and tell the Lacedemonians that we lie here in obedience to their commands." "At Athens," observes our author, "the maintenance of such a system of education would have been a physical impossibility." Her site, her soil, barren in corn, but rich in marble, the sea flowing before of education of which the freest development of all her resources, of all the energies of her population, was the object and the result. Travellers in Greece are usually struck with its Homeric aspect--with the resem blance of the localities to those described in the Iliad. Scenes of any note, and many but little known to fame, are given in the illustrations. The mountain-chain-the rich vale, made classic by its ruined temple—the headland and the isle, all form attractive pictures, being nearly all immortal by their names; and the attention of the reader is directed to almost every circumstance that can lend them interest. There is one topic which we exceedingly regret that Dr. Wordsworth has not touched on, that is, a comparison of the Romaic with the ancient language of Greece. The resemblances are so constant, the identities so frequent, that a tolerable classic might make his way there with but little difficulty. A striking circumstance is, that the language appears to be the same throughout the country-that there are no longer those differences of dialect which were so remarkable in the ancient times. We regret that our learned author did not examine this subject, as we cannot often hope to have a traveller so well qualified to undertake it. There are very considerable efforts now making for the civilization and advancement of Greece. A great deal doing in the way of schools by King Otho and his government; but these efforts attract hardly any notice in England, or in the principal countries of Europe. We may further observe, that in their contests with the Turks the Greeks exhibited traits of character and deeds of heroism quite worthy of their ancestry, and yet were they but little regarded by other nations, and are hardly remembered. It may be that our acquaintance with the story of ancient Greece is so early and so intimate, and leaves on our mind so many and such absorbing impressions, that we have no interest to spare for that kingdom now, save what is connected with the past. This we are disposed to think is, to a great extent, actually true, and it is a most singular result, consigning a fair country to the destiny that, do what she will, she can never revive-that the nations of Europe will think of her only through the past, and for ever hold "'Tis Greece, but living Greece no more." LORD STRAFFORD. From the British Critic. CONCLUDED. formation in religion or manners; and church property must be got back for that end. In Ireland there had indeed been Or a home cabinet so constructed, Straf-hitherto one law for the rich, and another ford experienced the effects from the first, for the poor, and robbery and sacrilege in the immense labor which he found ne- had been winked at, when the offender cessary to get any of his propositions re- could put a title to his name. He was received. He had to fight time after time solved to put an end to this system, to upwith them for a Parliament-for Poyn- hold the sanctity and the spotlessness of ing's act for his plantation schemes-for royal justice, to show the great and noble his revenue schemes for his church that they were as amenable to the law as schemes: he had no sooner made money, the meanest subjects, and comfort the than he had to fight for the employment of hearts of the poor and defenceless classes it-he had to fight for appointments, for by the spectacle of a righteous governrewards, for punishments. Powerful no- ment, bent on extinguishing the insolence, blemen-Lord Clanrickard (son of the old oppression, and fraud of their petty tyrants. earl), Lord Wilmot, and others, appeal "I never had," he says of Lord Cork's case from him to the English council. Don't "I never had so hard a part to play in listen to him, writes up Strafford; you all my life; but come what please God and are encouraging disaffection in thousands, the king, neither alliance, friendship, or if you do he is the head of a party. But other thing, shall be ever able to separate this is just the reason, in Charles's view, me from the service of God or my master, why I must.-Don't be afraid, says Strafor persuade me to quench the flame in anford, I will take all the odium upon myself. other man's house by taking the fire of his Whenever persons appeal to you, tell them guilt into my bowels." that you hold the deputy responsible, and There were more galling trials: Charles send them back.-The absolute duty of a had never been a minister, and did not minister to take odium to any extent off know what a minister's feelings were. A his monarch's back, was a maxim constant- low impudent Scotchman of the name of ly in Strafford's mouth; and happy was the Barre penetrated into the royal presence, deputy if he got his own way any how: with an unsupported charge against Strafbut the fear which the king evinced of ford, of peculation. Charles, either surthese aristocrats, the time that their ap- prised by the sudden intrusion, or wishing peals stood, and the half or favorable de- to look impartial, actually listened-nay, cision at last, vexed Strafford personally, gave him a special passport, under shelter and weakened him politically. The last of which the fellow oscillated between scene of his Irish government was embit- England and Ireland, collecting slanders. tered by the triumph, after a long contest, against Strafford for communication to the of Lord Clanrickard over him in the Eng-court. "And now, ant pleese your Majesty, lish council. ea werde mare anent your debuty in Yrland, A hard tussle in which he had engaged (Strafford had a trick of taking off the diawith Lord Cork, for the restoration of some lect of the Scotch: there was no love lost church lands, he had to fight literally alone, between them,) with other such botadoes against Lord Cork and the English cabi- stuffed with a mighty deal of untruths and net. This nobleman had, through his re- follies amongst. Far be the insolency from lationship to the Cumberland family, con- me," he continues, "to measure out for siderable interest at court, and a sort of my master with whom or what to speak; I claim of connection upon Strafford himself, more revere his wisdom, better understand who made himself extremely obnoxious to myself. But to have such a broken pedlar, his own relations by his unflinching disre- a man of no credit or parts, to be brought gard of the private tie. The Cumberland to the king, and countenanced by some family took up the matter warmly, and that have cause to wish me well, howsoStrafford had to endure all sorts of hard ever I have reason to believe I shall not names, and to be called a persecutor of his find it so, only to fill his majesty's ears kindred. But a man with such fixed public with untruths concerning me, and that the objects in view was not to be deterred. whilst his foul mouth should not either be The recovery of church property was one closed, or else publicly brought to justify thing he had positively determined on, the what he informs; to have such a comequal administration of justice was another. panion sent as comptrol and superintendent Without an able body of clergy, he said, over me, I confess, as in regard to myself it would be impossible to effect any re-lit moves me not much, yet as the king's VOL. III. No. 1. 2 deputy it grieves and disdains me exceed- | plaintive lyre over the Egean, and the ingly. Alas! if his majesty have any sus-great Roman scorned, and Lear rhapsopicion I am not to his service as I ought, dized, and Hamlet mused-age after age let there be commissaries of honor and the sad reproachful strain has floated vainwisdom set upon me; let them publicly ly by, nor arrested for a moment this deaf examine all I have done; let me be heard, material machine of things; and on and on and after covered with shame if I have de- will it sound more mournful and more served it. This is gracious, I accept it, grave, till rising on the gale it ends in the magnify his majesty for his justice; but whirlwind's sharp ominous cry, and belet not the deputy be profaned in my per- comes the dirge of a collapsing and disson, under the administration of such a solving world. Philosophizing, moralizing petty fellow as this, unto whom, believe Strafford he went on drawing truths and me, very few that know him will lend five lessons from Donne's anagrams and Vanpounds, being as needy in his fortune as dyke's shadows, till his spiritual consoler shifting in his habitation." stept in, with advice to "read that short book of Ecclesiasticus while these thoughts were upon him :" it would comfort him more than ever Donne's verses or Vandyke's colors. The Cottington party, who contrived these insults, allowed Strafford no rest. Rumor, charge, malicious whisper, subtle innuendo, told upon his sensitive spirit. "These reports pinch me shrewdly," he says. He wrote up to Charles, and was told, "Do not buckle on your armor before it is wanted:" Charles did not understand his sensitiveness. He solicited one step in the peerage, as a proof that the king had not deserted him, and it was denied. The sense of ingratitude always makes philosophers of us: first comes the sting, then the musing, speculating, moralizing sedative-the never mind-and, yes it must be so and, ah! it is the way of the world! the reducing of our wrongs from their personal and contingent to their universal archetypal form. Strafford had a strong vein of metaphysics, which soon sent him on the generalizing flight, far out of sight of Charles and the English council. In good faith, George (to his cousin), all below are grown wondrous indifferent." The world, this visible system of things, was in a sense necessarily unjust; and ingratitude was the law of an imperfect state. But did he think with the poet that the Lady Astræa had long since gone to heaven? Not quite so. Under favor, he could still discern her justice had not ceased to be, but in a loose disordered system could not act. Men might sometimes be just, could they but agree; but each had his own standard-one despised what another appreciated and hopeless division produced a certain uncertainty of rewards and punishments," crossing their destination, and coming to the wrong persons. Philosophizing Strafford-he realized the grievance and the discouragement-the v ds riμñ żμều xaxós ǹôè xai šσós-sad burden of many an heroic heart, from the time that savage Caucasus heard the grand laments of a Prometheus, and Achilles sounded his แ But there were moments when all poetical consolations failed Strafford. The neglect of the home government made him feel acutely the desolateness of his position in Ireland-standing alone amidst conspirators and mortal foes. Sadness and distress of mind overcame him at times: "The storm sets dark upon me: it is my daily bread to bear ill: all hate me, so inconsiderable a worm as I." He looked forward with melancholy relief to a resting-place in the grave, to which his dreadful bodily sicknesses as well directed him. A martyr all his life to disease and pain, he thought little of it; the gout only "made him think the more ;" but an accumulation of disorders now, an intermitting pulse, faint sweats, the increasing tortures of his old complaint, combined with his internal distresses to drag him into the depths of an intense, exaggerated, we should say, an unreal humility in such a man, did we not take his situation into account. Isolation, however, is, beyond question, a humbling thing: let those think serenely of themselves whom a world embraces, who lie pillowed and cushioned upon soft affections, and tender regards, and the breath of admiring circles, greatness in isolation feels itself after all but a wreck and a castoff from the social system, wanderer forlorn, worldless fragmentary being, like the wild animal of the desert-gaunt solitary tenant of space and night. Yet from the gloom of despondency and self-annihilation broke forth like lightning the mind of the statesman in the brilliant scheme of finance, or the energetic blow which brought a rebellious aristocrat to the dust. The kingdom stood aghast at his proceedings; nobody understood so mysterious a compound; a report spread with rapidity |