Whereas, in its present abandoned state, the walls of the houses will soon fall in-indeed some are decaying very fast-and, in less than a hundred years, the benefit of the singular volcanic preservation for so many ages will have been in vain; the appearance of Pompeji, if then it be at all discernible, will be no wise different from many other masses of Italian ruins, a shapeless heap of stones and rubbish. To shew the brilliancy of the paintings, our veteran guide threw over one of the walls of an apartment a pailful of water, which spread a temporary lustre over the colours, deadened by the dust and flying sand. They certainly looked as if they had been laid on but a month ago; even the greens had faded little, or perhaps not at all: for who can tell the precise hue of the original tint ? substance was afterwards laid over the It should not be forgot, however, that the mode of decorating apartments by pencil work, is still employed in Italy; and often produces a close resemblance to our papered rooms. in a gentleman traveller: this work is A few slight errors may be pardoned not a professional "Guide" to Naples; but affords an opportunity to those who much acquaintance with that city, as are not likely to go there, of acquiring as they may find agreeable, without losing sight of entertainment. The traveller is left at Rome : from whence we expect to hear from him again. The Angler's Guide &c. By T. F. Salter Gent. 8vo, price 10s. 6d. For the Author. Tegg. London. 1815. How is it that most treatises on Ang . It Notwithstanding all that has been said on the subject, it appears still a matter of doubt to me, whether the medium used for laying on the colours in the Pompejan rooms, was not different from that employ-ling begin with a vindication of the art ed in our fresco paintings, of which descrip- from the imputation of cruelty? tion these are generally supposed to be: should seem to imply that professors no rubbing with a wet finger was capable found it necessary of detaching the least tint from the walls. to apologize in I am, therefore, inclined to believe, that dency of their delight. Mr..Salter himsome manner for the nature and teneither the medium itself was some oily or self"gives every credit for their humaunctuous liquid; or that, if the paintings nity to those who consider angling as were really al fresco, a coat of some such cruel;"-aud he proceeds to describe the Cod fishery, and the Turbot fishery, as nothing more larger scale. He thinks fish are cold than angling on a bloodied animals, and not susceptible of that acute sense of pain which other animals possess, and he improves this observation by reminding us that all ash devour one another. This may be very true: but whether they give directions for passing a baiting needle so dextrously through a Gudgeon "near the back, about an inch from the head and carry it so carefully between the skin and the flesh to within an inch of the tail;" that without much wounding the fish may swim strong for twenty Prolongation of life, under such cirfour hours"-may be more than doubted. cumstauces is prolongation of misery; and this is what the compassionate deem cruel. Certainly, fish have strong digestive powers; and are constantly hungry: it is on this their rapacity depends; and on their rapacity depends the success of the angler. whole like a varnish: indeed, a faint gloss is easily perceptible: but, upon the whole, I would fain give my opinion in favour of the oily medium, the peculiar character of which the strokes of the pencil carry with them. To this hypothesis it has been objected, that the heat of the volcanic sand with which the rooms must have been overwhelmed, would have affected the oil; but it remains to be proved, that the interior of the rooms was completely filed with sand of such a heat as to injure the oil. If such had been the case, the colours themselves must necessarily have suffered, or have been changed, which is no where perceptible. This latter circumstance, indeed, appears altogether astonishing, and I own, perfectly inexplicable. What the writer adds on the nature of the colours, though just and judicious, has been greatly surpassed by Sir Humphrey Davy, whose accurate examination of them has been submitted to our readers; and receives a completion, by this his tory of the discovery, and these slight additions, to which chemistry is no party. to me, There is not a more patient tribe on the face of the earth, than Anglersexcept Reviewers. Mr. Salter alludes to several who after passing a whole day in expectation, have not had a bite; or who have spent hours in watching, entangling, and tiring a single fish, which after all has been lost by some unlucky jerk of the line, or some exertion in the prey. Anglers endeavour, also to out manœuvre each other: nor is any trouble thought too much by them. which, I suppose, most anglers must have observed. How Eels propagate, is a matter far from being settled among the theo. retical writers on natural history: some conceive that they are viviparous-others oviparous,-others, again, think they couple, and discharge a viscosity in the mud of rivers and ponds, which produces innumerable young; but as no parts of generation are to be found in them, neither any roe, all is darkness and conjecture with them on the subject. I am quite satisfied myself that Eels are viviparous, having paid much attention to The partiality for a particular swim, the subject for several years, during which hole, or eddy, in a river, is very great tine numerous instances of it have come among anglers; many will travel during immediately under my own observation; the night to arrive first at a favourite and I have received many communications place. I knew an angler who frequently, corroborative of the fact from several rein summer, left London in the evening, spectable anglers and other persons, who and stopped at a village public house near are proprietors, &c. of fisheries. Bowlker, the river Lea, take his supper and pipe, in his treatise on augling,, mentions a cirand there remain until the people of the cumstance of a miller's wife who informed house retired to bed, then walk to his fa-him that she had several times found small vourite swim, and sit down and wait patiently till the dawn of day enabled him to use his angle rod. ---- Such predilection marks the practised Angler. It is not for such Mr. Salter writes; but his instructions are intended to form such. He describes the various kinds of hooks, baits, floats, and lines ;the proper baits for each kind of fish usually found in our rivers; the best parts of the rivers near Loudon, and what fish may be expected in the various holes and eddies on the banks and swims. He gives a map of the Thames for this purpose; he visits the New River, the Lea, &c. and hints at the character of almost every public-house within dining or sleeping distance of a favourite fishery. He gives extracts from Acts of Parliament; rules for judging on the weather, &c. &c. It must be confessed that anglers who follow their sport with spirit, see much of nature and natural history, which remains unknown to the slug-abeds in the city of London. As naturalists, their evidence is weighty. For instance, speaking of the eel, when discussing the question whether they be viviparous, says Mr. S. When very small, (about two inches in length,) the young Eels move by thousands from one part of the river Lea to another, always working up the stream; this takes place in the month of June, a circumstance Eels in the beily of large ones, when she Eel early in the summer, aud in the black time: after some few hours, I threw the Whether the forbearance of the Pike arises from respect to the healing qualities of the Tench, or is to be attributed to a dislike of the slimy matter on its body, I know not, but I believe the Tench is perfectly free from the persecution suffered by all the other species of fish; for I have never taken one that has been at all mutilated in its fins, tail, or any other part, the body, which are so frequently met with or with any of those wounds or scars onby the angler among the small fish he takes. The Eel also foregoes his voracity, in regard to the Tench, both by night and In respect to Eels being mirgatory, I have never met with any circumstance, during my experience as an angler, either to strengthen or destroy that opinion. A gentleman who lived near West-End, Hampstead, having a large pond on his premises, informed me that as he was walking one evening through the meadow in which the pond was, he was surprised at some rusting in the grass near his feet. On looking, he thought it was a snake, but found it to be an Eel, making very fast today. I have known several trimmers to be the pond, from which it was at the distance of about a hundred yards: he secured it, and it was a fine dark Eel, near a pound weight. This may contribute to account for finding fish in ponds where there were none originally. laid at night, baited with live fish, Roach, Dace, Bleak, aud Tench, each about six or seven inches long; and when those trimmers were examined in the morning, both hooks baited with any other fish but the Eels and Jack have been taken by the Tench, which I found as lively as wheu put in the river the preceding night, without ever having been disturbed: this has variably been the case during my expesolitary instance to the contrary related by rience; neither have I met with even one any of my acquaintance, who have had numerous opportunities of noticing the sin Mr. S. enlarges on the dispositions of different kinds of fish:-the voracity of the Pike is well known; the suddenness of the Barbel; the shyness of the Carp; &c. &c. but, among the most singular remarkables, usually noticed by an-gular circumstance of the perfect freedom glers, is that property of the Tench, which extends not only to self preservation, but to the assistance of others: as is said. This part of Mr. S.'s article is a fair specimen of his manner. REMARKS ON TENCH. from death or wounds, which the Tench enjoys over every other inhabitant of the liquid element, arising from the continual conflicts among each other. Tench generally spawn about the latter end of June : they are seldom caught so large as to weigh five pounds, but that they grow much their having been found much larger, in larger I do not doubt, from many cases of ponds that were emptied, in order to cleanse them from an accumulation of weeds, mud, &c Tench is that of one found in the year The most remarkable account of a 1801, in a hole at the bottom of a choakedup pond, at Thornville Royal, Yorkshire, the seat of Colonel Thornton, which measured two feet nine inches in length, and two feet three inches in circumference, wonderful Tench had taken the shape of and weighed nearly twelve pounds. This the hole in which it had been confined for The Tench is not a very handsome fish in shape, being short and thick, and wheu of a large size, nearly as broad as they are long: their scales are very small and close, and the whole body covered with a slimy glutinous substance, which is considered to be of a balsamic quality, healing the wounded and sick of all the finny race; for which purpose the sick and wounded rub themselves against the Tench, and receive a cure: this is the general and received opinion, and, in consequence, the Teuch is honoured with the name of the Physician, and is respected even by the all-years; its colour also differed from the devouring Pike. The Pike, fell tyrant of the liquid plain, usual golden or bronze hue of the Teuch, the belly being as it were tinged with vercovered the power of swimming, but seemmilion: when put into a pond, it soon reingly with some difficulty, doubtless from having led a life of idleness for so many years. We cannot forget old Isaac Walton, and--but comparisons are odious. The Reasons of the Protestant Religion. A Discourse delivered at a Monthly Association of Protestant Dissenting Ministers, &c. By J. P. Smith. D.D. Price 2s. Conder, London. 1815. When the Pope was in chains, we said a few words in his favour, as circumstances would justify us; but, since he has quitted his dungeon, he has grossly abused our indulgence: now, if this ecclesiastical officer, whom we have charitably thought to be a good man, and a sincere Christian, when restored to power, can display such unchristian malevolence as he has done-if he can revive the Order of the Jesuits, and reestablish the bloody Inquisition, then, we say, his conduct must be taken as a fair specimen of the actual disposition of the Romish Church, of which he is the head. Under confinement, the Pope exhibited Christian virtues; therefore. let him be remanded to confinement, where he may prolong and practise those virtues. Again, seated on his throne, he has abused his power; therefore, let his abuses be exposed to the universe, and stigmatized as they deserve; every rational creature and Christian must abhor the ecclesiastical sovereign who thus tramples on the honest rights of man, of the Church of Christ, and of Almighty God himself! called 'Catholic Emancipation,' render some explicit testimony desirable, lest those views should be understood as, in any degree, a compromise of our other principles. As to Catholic Emancipation, in the Irish sense of the term, the Pope has ruined it, wholly not one voice in a thousand which formerly opened in its favour, now ventures a word. These, then, are our reasons of Pro testantism. We reject the authority of the Pope and Church of Rome, because it is an usurped authority; because its tendency gion; because it demands belief in docis to destroy the very essence of real relitrines palpably absurd, unscriptural, and pernicious; because it is an impious inva sion on the office of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only spiritual lawgiver; because it is subversive of the use and value of the Holy Scriptures; because it promotes the vilest forms of tyranny; and because, while it fact, an audacious system of innovation on assumes the right of prescription, it is, in the old, apostolic, and primitive religion of Christ. The instrument that first set afloat ideas on the necessity of reformation may be new to some of our readers; it cannot be too generally known and examined. The form of the grant of absolution openly sold throughout Germany in 1516. "Our Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upsion absolve thee! And I, by his authoon thee, and by the merits of his holy pasrity, and that of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and our most holy father the The events of the day, are reasons Pope, granted and in this respect committed sufficiently strong in support of the Pro- to me, do thee absolve: first, from all ectestant religion; nevertheless, it is a duty clesiastical censures by thee in whatsoever to adduce, on proper occasions, those way incurred; and moreover, from all sins, which constantly retain their validity;mitted how enormous soever, even such as crimes, and excesses by thee hitherto comwhich no change of circumstances can vitiate or impeach. That has been the object of Dr. Smith in this discourse. In our estimation, the principles of the Protestant Religion are of very great importance, and ought to be constantly held up to view: because they are the basis of all great advancements in the intellectual character and the social happiness of man; because they are essential to rational piety; because the Roman Catholic system has, unhappily, still many millions of blindly devoted adherents, and many active organs of proselytism, who are beyond description, adroit in the use of the most wily sophistry to gan their end; and because the liberal views which Protestant Dissenters very generally entertain, ou the subject usually VOL. II. New Series, Lat. Pan, Sept. 1815, are reserved to the apostolic see; so far as "Friar JOHN Tetzel, 2 L This was intended, by art, to ease fools of their money; but, the Church has also power to deprive wise men of their senses. Prefixed to the third volume of the excellent Commentary on Sir Isaac Newton's • Principia,' by le Seur and Jacquier, two monks in a convent at Rome, is the following "Declaration."-Newton in this "third book assumes the hypothesis of the earth's motion. His propositions could not be explained but upon the admission of this hypothesis. We have therefore been compelled to put on the appearance of admitting it. But we hereby profess our submission to the decrees of the popes against the opinion of the earth's motion.--Rome, 1742." Truth and honesty, as well as science, must flourish admirably in the holy and eternal city! The Universal British Merchant; embracing the Epistolary style of Commercial Correspondence between Great Britain and the principal trading cities of Europe, &c.; translated from the "Le Negotiant Universel," with an appendix, for the use of scholars. By W. Keegan, A. M. Law and Whitaker, London, 1815. This jeu d'esprit has pleased us: it well depicts the manners of duelling heroes, and its satirical shafts are well aimed. Annexed is a poem, entitled "Harold" many parts of which glow with a poct's fire, and are the offspring of a vigorous mind; but, the manners are not accurately traced: events could not be conducted as the bard conducts them; could not take the course the bard' assigns them. Intended murder, in a nobleman's castle, The period is that of the battle of Cressy. intended violence on his daughter;—a child deprived of his birth-right, by his uncle, becomes a page to a knight, is to be re-discovered, and marry his uncle's daughter-this is foreseen from early in the piece; which suffers equally from the readThis title is but an abridgment of the er's anticipation, as from his incredulity. original the general tenor of the work Not so, the Duel: the whole is wellmay easily be inferred from it. We in- managed, and the parts are well susdulge the hope that the commercial con- tained. A lie given between an Actor cerns of Britain will now, without ob- and a Prompter, over night, leads to a struction or prohibition, embrace all challenge, which both parties regret the parts of the world, especially of the next morning; but, as “honour bears civilized world, from much of which war them on," and as 66 they cannot by the and violence have excluded our coun- duello avoid it:" they meet, they fire; trymen. Such a work, therefore, is well- neither are killed, though both are ready timed, and being supported by the repu- to fall; and a bottle of "Bob Elliott's tation of Le Negotiunt Universel, it will Stingo"-" drinks down all unkindness." probably become popular in commercial The description of Old Toper, who susacademies. It is not possible, neverthe-pends his boozing to carry the challenge less that any thing short of the labours of the counting-house should form a merchant: there are so many minor points to be attended to, so many enquiries to be made, so much knowledge of the properties and excellencies of articles to be acquired, and to be employed. by the man who would do justice to la principal, that practice is usually found to be a ver distinct thing from theory But, book; ay teach something, and is good. He thus ruminates during his progress. "What bloody-minded dogs! I trow, |