the following anecdote told by Mr. Antonio Vieyra, who, some years since, was Professor of Spanish and Italian in the University of Dublin. Johnson was asked, by some ladies, the meaning of the word Sothades, which, in the Portuguese language, expresses a degree of affection inexpressible in the language of our colder climates, and which occurs somewhere in the Spectator. Ignorant of Portuguese, but ashamed to appear ignorant of anything, he undertook to explain it by an English word. Vieyra, a Portuguese by birth, ventured to correct him; and Johnson never could forgive him.

Burke notes-"I ever looked on Lord Keppel as one of the greatest and best men of the age; and I loved and cultivated him accordingly: he was much in my heart, and I believe I was in his to the very last beat."

Grattan said of Hussey Burgh, who had been a great Liberal, but, on getting his silk gown, became a Ministerialist, that all men knew that silk was a non-conducting body, and that since the honourable member had been enveloped in silk no spark of patriotism had reached his heart.

When James I. transferred the custody of the great seal from Bacon to Bishop Williams, the monarch is reported to have said: "I am pained at my heart where to bestow it; as for my lawyers, I think they be all knaves."

An Irish lawyer, famed for cross-examining, was, on one occasion, completely silenced by a horse-dealer.-" Pray, Mr.

, you belong to a very honest profession?" "I can't say so," replied the witness; "for, saving you lawyers, I think it the most dishonest going."

I once happened to stand beside a matron whose daughter formed one of a gay group, who were shewing off, and posturizing in a quadrille: suddenly she grew pale, her jaw fell, and her whole countenance exhibited marks of dismay and dejection. Thinks I to myself, the poor lady is ill, or has suddenly heard of her son's death, or husband's failure: my strongly rising sympathies were, however, soon ended, by her exclaiming to a friend, "Good heavens! she forgets the cut, after practising it all the week!"-C. P.

The small Greek letters were introduced in the eighth or ninth century, by the monks of Egypt. Before this invention, contractions had been applied to the large letters to such a degree, that Solinus says that the Iliad could be contained in a nut-shell.

B.

TRAITS OF TENNESSEE. (In a Letter from a Lady Tourist to a Friend at New York.)

It was with mingled emotions of pain and pleasure that I bid a long adieu to my friends, (at Baltimore,) as we stepped on board a Norfolk steamer.

"She walks the water like a thing of life,

And seems to dare the elements to strife."

Soon we were leaving the city, with her proud monuments, her towers and spires, houses and shipping gradually fading in the distance. I have never enjoyed any excursion so much as this; the air was of the most delightful temperature, the evening lovely, and certainly the beautiful Chesapeake never appeared to finer advantage. Between two and twilight, we passed hundreds of vessels; steamers puffing by, brigs and schooners, with their white sails expanded to the breeze. Oh! I could have spent days and days in that lovely bay. Long I sat on deck, enjoying the beauty of the scene; there was a light breeze agitating the waters of deep green, except where the waves lashed the boat, leaving a track of snowy foam. At six o'clock next morning we were in sight of the Virginia shore; stopped a short time at Portsmouth: the marine hospital there is a fine building.

Norfolk looks like a fine old city, as we approach; the harbour is a beautiful one, resembling, it is said, the far-famed bay of Naples. Hail and welcome, old Virginia! We got in at seven, walked up to a tavern to breakfast, and truly 'twas distance lent enchantment to the view. Nor

folk has quite an old and rather desolate appearance, the number of persons passing about being few for the number of

At

houses. After sunset, took a stroll on the the beach, and through the best part of the city; left the next morning, in the Thomas Jefferson, for Richmond. eleven in the morning, while myself and brother had ascended to the upper deck, our boat stopped at an old decayed-looking wharf, a few ruinous habitations were in sight, in the midst of an old neglected field grown up with weeds, with here and there interspersed a fallen chimney, mantled with the luxuriant wild-creeper. I never beheld a more dreary and desolate scene-this was old Jamestown-the spot where our forefathers first reared their houses in the new world. The scenery on the James is very tame, presenting, principally, a flat, uncultivated waste. At three in the afternoon we arrived at Richmond. You know what a reverential love I have always entertained for Virginia, even since my earliest school-days, while reading of Pocahontas and Smith; everything

noble and chivalrous was associated with that name. I was disappointed in Richmond: that, too, has rather an old and gloomy appearance: on Capital Hill, however, are many cheerful, fine-looking residences from the summit of the hill we had a most enchanting prospect of the city, the surrounding country, and a village on the opposite side of the river. The capital, like its state, is time-worn and venerable, yet dignified and grand in its decline. We had letters of introduction to a few persons only, and, judging from them as a sample, I should say the society of Richmond was as elegant and refined as any I have ever known. Went on from thence to Charlottesville, the seat of the university; in sight, too, is Monticello, the residence of Mr. Jefferson. The morning after our arrival we set off on our pilgrimage to the grave and residence of the sage; the ascent to the monument is a rough road, gradually winding around until it approaches the summit on the west; on an elevated table-land, of about two acres in extent, stands the house. The whole demesne now presents a most melancholy prospect; the effacing hand of time and decay is apparent on all around, particularly the adjuncts are sadly dilapidated ; the main building has rather the appearance of utter desolation. After some delay we were admitted: the interior is in fine preservation; the floors, the carvings and mouldings, are in antique style. We were shewn the bed on which Mr. Jefferson died; the table at which he wrote. The view from the monument is proverbial for its beauty and extent: on the west is seen the village of Charlottesville, the noble university, a great diversity of country, of wood, hill and dale, spread out like an extended map, bordered by the Blue Ridge. We passed the burial-ground, which is 100 yards from the mansion; returning, we approached the hallowed spot on foot, entered a rough stone enclosure, and stood by the grave of Jefferson. A rude granite monument marks the spot, with only the line of his birth and death inscribed on it. By his side repose the remains of his wife; a plain marble slab is over her tomb, bearing an epitaph written by himself. Thought I, an impressive lesson of this world's vanity is to be gained by a survey of this spot. We next visited the university: could a traveller be suddenly transported here, he would imagine himself approaching an oriental city; the buildings are very fine. Surely, thought I, the student must feel emotions of pride swelling his bosom as he treads the lofty halls and long arcades of this seat of learning. The next day we started in the stage for the Natural Bridge; before sun

set we hove in sight, the Peaks of Ottér rearing their proud heads above the surrounding mountains. We stopped at the tavern, within a few yards of the bridge. I was too excited for a moment's repose before seeing this grave work of Nature. We took the path that led to the channel of the creek, wending our way down the steep and rather difficult descent; about 100 yards brought us in sight of the bridge. My first feeling was disappointment. We approached nearer, and stood under the stupendous arch-viewed it from every direction; and it is then, after gazing long, measuring with the eye its gigantic proportions, its beautiful symmetry, the mind is fully impressed with the grandeur of the scene. We remained two days; at sunset walked to the bridge again. 'Tis in the deepening gloom of twilight, the massive arch, as it were, spanning the blue vault above, that the mind is struck most with its sublimity. Seated on a rock in the awful chasm below, how insignificant did myself and puny race of fellow-beings appear! For days we enjoyed perfect feasts of mountain scenery-the beautiful, the sublime and wildly savage, were alternately presented to us, in crossing the Blue Ridge at Mount Purgatory, Clifton Forge, and the Hawk's Nest.

Were I not afraid of tiring your patience, I could tell you much of our delightful voyage down the Ohio. I scarcely know of a more pleasant way of spending a short time than this, floating down the silver wave, brought for several days in contact with the same company, where each one exerts himself to render his neighbour's time as agreeable as possible; of Cincinnati, too, the fair queen of the west, which resembles Philadelphia a good deal, in the order and regularity with which it is built; of Louisville, the commercial emporium of the west, which, in its bustling and business-like aspect reminded me of our own good city of Gotham; of Lexington, the city of shade, with Ashland and the beautiful country around it; of Nashville, the capital of this state. This is a beautiful place, the society, too, I should say, from my limited acquaintance and stay there, is highly polished and elegant. As we advanced south, instead of the verdant parks of Kentucky, broad cotton-fields are presented to the eye. We at length arrived at my brother's: I was introduced to my Tennessee sister; though we had heard so often of her countless attractions, I must admit I was

surprised; with all the charms of manner and person combined, there is an additional truth and sincerity about her, that renders her irresistible: honest frankness

EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

(Continued from page 122.)

169. David Roberts, Esq., R. A.; R. S. Lander; a very characteristic portrait of our best painter of architecture, in the dress he wore in his recent visit to Palestine.

174. Banquet Scene in Macbeth; D. Maclise, R. A. Elect. This is the picture of the collection: that is, it attracts a greater number of gazers than any other in the Exhibition. We wish that we could addit merits all the attention it receives; for, unfortunately, its boldness and extravagance contribute more to its attractiveness than its real merit. The subject is one of the most striking scenes in dramatic history: its leading character is but very rarely personated on our stage, from the extraordinary genius requisite for the task; and the incident, a supernatural appearance, and its effect, is an episode in the play of the passions which none but a master-hand in painting can transfer to, or, rather, create on, the canvas. The scene is a room of rude state in the Palace; a banquet prepared; Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross, Lenox, Lords, and attendants. The action is Lady Macbeth quieting the lords, and reproving her conscience-stricken husband with the impressive "Are you a man?". the ghost of Banquo sitting in Macbeth's chair. Here, indeed, is a vast subject for any painter to embody; approachable only by genius of the highest order, which Mr. Maclise has unquestionably displayed in this picture. Its greatest merit lies in the general treatment, and its greatest defect in the little dignity of the actors. Macbeth is a commonplace conception; though it would be difficult to find his counterpart in nature: he is a faulty piece of art. Lady Macbeth is too much of a brawling virago for our approval: her brawny arm is tremendously coarse; whereas size of limb is not incompatible with dignity; witness, the arm of Mrs. Siddons, in Harlow's picture of the Kemble family. The representation of the ghost is decidedly a proof of genius. The long line of figures, which crowd the scene, is cleverly broken, but they are too much of a family: a few of the faces, however, are fine studies. But the figures are generally hard, and without natural ease; the colouring is heavy; the flesh wants the transparency of life; it is cold and leaden, as in Lady Macbeth, who has none of the spirituel of passion. We repeat, that the main merit lies in the treatment, which is rife with genius: the expression of the company is admirably sustained. Purchased by Lord Chesterfield, for £500.

Mr. Maclise's other pictures are: 214. Gil Blas dresses en Cavalier, which has

more than the artist's usual defects, and is, altogether, coarse and ill-coloured. One of the heads in this picture is the very beau ideal of what canting people term "Jack Sheppardism." 462. Portrait of Charles Dickens, Esq., has been, in part, engraved as the Nickleby frontispiece; but there is a strange variance between

the expression of the picture and the print portrait. 381. Scene from Twelfth Night, we take to be, altogether, Mr. Maclise's best picture: it is the "yellow stockings and cross-gartered" scene; and is rich in the expressive humour of pure comedy; whilst, in drawing and colouring, it is far above the artist's huge dramatic painting.

Mr. Lee, R.A., has five pictures, which have some finely painted landscape scenery and animal life. They are: 185. Charcoal-burning. 316. Capercaille, Blackcock, Grouse, and Ptarmigan. 360. Northwick Park. 374. Park Scenery.

Deer and Heron.

469.

198, 204. A pair of pictures, by C. W. Cope: a Daughter assisting her aged Father; and, Giving Alms: in composition and colouring very meritorious. There is not, in the whole collection, a more interesting picture. 484. An Altar-piece for St. George's Church, Leeds; a much larger performance, by the same artist, reminds us that art is making way in the embellishment of new churches.

190. The Greek Church of the Holy Nativity, of Bethlehem, during the Easter Festival; D. Roberts, A.; a very fine picture. The architecture, and the groups of pilgrims, are alike well treated. The scene has been often painted, but not, hitherto,

with such beautiful effect as in Mr. Roberts's picture; from which is to be painted

a new view for the Diorama.

207. Athens, from the Road to Marathon; W. Müller; an admirable picture of this land of classic interest.

213. Portrait of Arthur A. Bailey, Esq., painted in Mrs. W. Carpenter's best style.

217. Castle of Chillon; J. J. Chalon; a mediocre performance of an oft-painted scene; and, therefore, less excusable. The subject has been worn threadbare, and, in the present instance, grey.

220. Gate and Mosque of Mtuawellee, Grand Cairo; another of Mr. Roberts's fine architectural pictures, but lacking the usual finish of his performances. It may, however, turn out, that some peculiar climatal or atmospheric effect, in the East, deprives stone-work of its sharp angles, &c. Nor can we withhold a passing remark upon the advantages to art of facility of communication between countries. Hitherto, our representations of distant lands have been made up at home, from the imperfect sketches of travellers, who