140

REVIEW-Brayley's Sketches of Brighton.

and Coventry plays, were sometimes dramatically represented on the different days of his festival. P. 75.

[Aug.

contemporary circumstances; that reason cannot explain, as Johnson says, what reason never invented,-and that the attempt of men in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to elucidate the history of Mythology, must come under the denomination of romance, not of science; for, at the best, the most plausible theory can be but opinionative, and opinions can never constitute knowledge. Mythological fables, when traced to their source, are pure inventions, taught purposely to foster superstition, which alone is cherished by ignorance; learning is thrown away in attempting to illustrate them.

The earlier and ruder stages of idolatry are marked by monstrous figures. They occur among the Australasians, are partially seen in Egypt, and were discarded by the Greeks, except in Janus, Cerberus, and a very few instances. In India they still remain, and there is a great similarity between their idols and those of the Anglo-Saxons, and also in their mythology and that of the Eddas.

(To be continued.)

24. Topographical Sketches of Brighthelmston and its Neighbourhood. By E. W. Brayley, F.S. A. Illustrated with Twelve Engravings, by R. Havell, jun. 12mo. pp. 82.

The benefit of discussing Hindoo Mythology is, that we thus get at the real superstitions of antiquity, not Bryant's inventions, attributing to the creation of reason what that faculty would certainly explode. Among barbarians nothing but superstition makes an impression, and they who had to profit by superstition, invented idle tales, which had no more to do with Noah and the ark, than the dreams of our own Golden Legend. They were - mere stories made up for occasions. In the legend before us, we find India the Hindoo Jupiter, Soorayer Phœbus or the Sun, Chandra the Moon or Luna, Agnee the god of fire, Vulcan Vayoo the god of air, Varoona Neptune, PaIvona, Eolus, Kooverah Plutus or the god of riches, Yama Minos or the judge of the infernal regions. The war of the gods with the Titans, apparently symbolical of the difficulty of renovating the cultivation of the earth after the flood, an acknowledged fact (for the air really exists, and the only absurdity is Mr. Bryant's building a castle in it), the third eye of the Cyclops, the trident of Neptune,-the armour and warlike character of-Minerva, the magical transformations of the Arabian genii,-the celebration of festivals by prayer, festivities, gym- THE questions concerning a Bathnastic exercise, and every kind of war- ing-place are, 1. What is the class of like sports, the martial qualities of company usually resorting to it? 2. the Amazons,—the veneration of the What is the extent of beach? 3. What serpent, from the great serpent Andi-rides and walks are they? and, 4. Shashah, or Ananta,—the Muses, from the Gopeias or mistresses of Kristna, the Hindoo Apollo,-the parasol or umbrella, the emblem of royalty (as on the Hamilton Vases)-the Centaurs from the Cinnaras,-the Fauns from the Gahyaca,-the winged Genii from the ganderwas, flying youths of beautiful forms and fair complexion,-the apotheosis of weapons,-sacred vessels and caldrons, drinking blood, as among our witchcraft practices, cakes ornamented with flowers, accompany. ing festivals,-serpents, scorpions, tigers, and other noxious reptiles and animals, formed by incantations into guards, whence Cerberus,-dragons vomiting fire,--human sacrifices;--all these things are shown to us as original Hindoo superstitions in the valuable paper before us. It may be relied upon, that contemporary ideas can alone explain

What are the accommodations? In answer to the first question, much depends upon situation and size. If near London, and large, the company will be motley; if distant, chiefly composed of the opulent persons in the vicinity. As to the second question, a good beach is the grand temptation to promenades and rides, and where this is wanting, invalids only will be the chief visitants. In regard to the rides and walks, towns on sea-coasts have seldom any rural scenery; what trees there are, are deformed by the winds, and if there are good sea-views, they are all alike, but there may be good excursions to villages. Accommodations of course depend upon the resort. Taking all the good characteristics of bathing-places together, the Isle of Wight exceeds all. Brighton, from its contiguity to town, and late resort

of

.-1825.]

REVIEW-Description of Three Ancient Bricks.

of the Court, has had London down

by the coach to fit it up; and though
it has distant good things, it is acknow-
ledged that few trees grow in the vi-
cinity, in consequence of which there
is very little scenery of a picturesque
description." p. 13. Still there is a
great deal of novelty in the bustle of a
sea-port town. The resort of vessels
to and fro, the business movements,
the idle loungers, old, young, men,
women, and children, the perpetual
motion of the waters, the various nau-
tical apparatus, the fantastic positions
of the boats, all together make a good
picture. And as people who have no-
thing to do live the same every where,
and miss nothing but society and their
comforts, Brighton is better suited to
answer their views, than places of more
natural attractions.

Brighton has only two striking objeets, the Pavilion and the Chain Pier. As to the former, whether it be a correct imitation or not of the oriental style (which Mr. Daniell says it is not), it is certainly an exquisite thing. What feelings attest, it is vain to dispute. No one can deny that it may be justly called a capital fairy or garden-palace, or summer retreat, not beneath a powerful Sovereign. The Chain-Pier is a national monument, and to the philosopher presents the most gratifying reflections. Except a curious ancient circular font, and Hollingbury Hill and Camp (which appear to have been Danish), Brighton has no memorable antiquities; nor is it worth while for us to expatiate upon theatres, elegant houses, good hotels, and libraries. He who has money to spend, finds out all these things blindfolded.

We shall therefore only say, that the work does credit to the well-known Topographical ability of Mr. Brayley, and the skill of his artist. The luxury and elegance of British bathing and watering places, show off the wealth and taste of the nation; and though it may be more patriotic to behold our lions in their menageries of Portsmouth and Plymouth, yet it is interesting to see birds of gaudy plumage enlivening our white cliffs.

25. A Description of three ancient_ornamented Bricks, found at different Periods in London and Gravesend, with Observations respecting the Date of their Produc

141

tion and the Appropriation of them in Buildings. 8vo. pp. 32.

THE bricks of the middle age, as to their external decorations, consist of two kinds, those painted, as we should call them, i. e. with colours burnt in, for floors, and bricks moulded in relief. Nothing is more evident and better known, than the ancient history of these bricks. One impressed with a lion in bas relief, was found in the ruins of ancient Babylon, and is engraved in the Archæologia (vol. xiv. pl. 10, p. 56), and being an oriental custom, it was used by the Jews in the Middle Age. Ducange tells us so, and quotes the following authorities: 1st, Pliny (vii. 56), who says, "Epigenes apud Babylonios dccxxx annorum observationes siderum coctilibus laterculis inscriptas docet." 2d. Diogenes Laertius in Cleanthes, who, however, says not a word about bricks, only about shells and bones, thus inscribed. (See p. 546, ed. Hen. Steph. 8vo, 1594.) Ducange also quotes a passage from Marten's Anecdota, in which magical characters written on bricks are forbidden by Lewis, King of France, anno 1154, and are called a Jewish practice, "Judæi cessent ab usuris et blasphemiis, sortilegiis Lateribus." Thus Ducange, v. Lateres. We are indebted for the reference to Mr. Fosbroke's Encyclopedia of Antiquities, who (p. 110) has anticipated the appropriation of Bagford and Hearne's brick to Samson, upon which four or five pages have been here spent in supererogation.-Great mistakes exist upon the subject of bricks. In the Roman fashion, as wall-tiles, i. e. flat and equilateral, they appear mixed with stone-work, in the keep of Chepstow Castle, and many other buildings. This was called Tigel-geweorc. As to bricks of the modern oblong form and moulded, they were introduced from France and Flanders temp. Edw. I. and II. (See Mr. Fosbroke, ubi supra); and the subject being thus well known, we shall say no more than that our author has taken much pains with his subject, and written his Essay elaborately. The account of Pantiles is also anticipated in the Encyclopedia, p. 116; and we hope that we shall not be accused of ill-nature, if we express a wish that authors who can write well, and in a tasteful and judicious form, will, for their own sake,

examine

REVIEW. Howison's Travels.

2142
examine previous writers, and not di-
late upon subjects already pre-occupied,
unless in the way of addition or illus-
tration. The other Brick refers to the
Legend of St. Hubert, and is very hap-
pily explained. We are of opinion
that an amuletical protective property
was annexed to these bricks.

26. Foreign Scenes and Travelling `Recrea-
tions. By John Howison, Esq. 2 vols.
8vo. Whittaker.

very

MR. HOWISON is of the East India Company's Service, a most agrecable traveller, and an observing and intelligent gentleman. He has produced, and apparently without effort, two entertaining volumes, combining the attractions of travel and the speculations of the moral essay. The volumes begin with a description of life at sea, and we accompany a lively and not illnatured satirist, from our first enquiries for a cabin at the Jerusalem Coffee House to a landing in the harbour of Havanna. It is not our intention to delay an introduction.-Reader! Mr. Howison! Scene, the cabin of an Indiaman.

"In large ships an abundant and even elegant table is kept; but its comforts are not available, except during moderate weather. When there is a high sea, meals become an annoyance rather than a pleasure; for all the plans that have yet been invented to obviate the inconvenience of the rolling of a vessel, prove of little actual utility. A party at dinner in a gale of wind, is a scene as illustrative of the miseries of a sea life as any that can be chosen: on such occasions the more experienced passengers know when the ship is on the point of making a violent lurch, and prepare for it accordingly; but the novices are usually taken unawares, and their plates, knives, forks, glasses, chairs, and their own persons, perhaps, are suddenly hurled to the lee-side of the cabin. However, those who retain their places are probably in a situation not less ludicrous; a delicate young lady just recovered from sea-sickness, will have a large ham precipitated into her lap; all the wine-bottles on the table may collect round a determined water drinker; the epicure of the party may -lose sight of his plate of dainties, and find a dish of boiled rice in its place; an old Indian may have a quantity of grilled liver forced upon him; and a roast pig will perhaps be seen going full speed towards a man who detests pork, When quietness is restored, and when every one has extricated himself from his difficulties, a great deal of merriment may probably ensue; but the ac

[Aug.

cident, if two or three times repeated, ceases to be an entertaining one, and eventually causes irritation among the sufferers."

be

correctly, that intellectual operations Mr. Howison asserts, and we think pears to have a decided antipathy to a are suspended on board ship; he ap sea voyage, which we suspect may referred in some degree to the activity of his nature; for, if we rightly understand him, he is a person of no ordinary temperament, and the irksomeness of confinement would weigh with heavier pressure on a mind constituted as his, of course a calm is his abhor

rence.

The following is a splendid picture. Speaking of the modifications of ocean the varieties of sun-rise and sun-set in scenery, and depicting very beautifully different latitudes, he says:

set I ever witnessed took place at the mouth
"The most lovely and impressive sun-
of the St. Lawrence, where the river is 30
miles wide. I was on board ship, and we
lay on the middle of the majestic stream,
the surface of which was perfectly calm, and
apparently without current. A number of
belugas or white whales sported silently on
the still expanse around us, raising their
backs gradually above it, in the form of a
sunny crescent, and then gliding downwards
with graceful smoothness and elegance.-
lightened by the glow of sunset into an ap-
On one side the dreary coast of Labrador,
the horizon; and on the other, the barren
pearance of richness and verdure, occupied
mountains of the American coast were dimly
visible. Before us we traced the windings
of the St. Lawrence, and saw them studded
with islands, and narrowing into a more in-
tense beauty, until they were lost amid the
recesses of accumulated hills and forests.
The Sun was setting serenely on a land of
peace, a land which was calling the children
of misery to her bosom, and offering them
the laughing joys of ease and plenty. We
were in the midst of the most magnificent
of Nature's works; these appearing still
thing but ocean and sky for many preceding
more magnificent, from our having seen no-
weeks. We had just entered the gates of a
glorious sunset that illumined its skies with-
new world, and it was impossible to view the
exultation,"
out mingled emotions of awe, gratitude, and

house recollections, and the same keen-
Life at Sea is followed by Boarding-
ness of observation, and the same deli-
The intrigues, the shifts and
cate strokes of satire, are perceptible.
dients of the conductors of these re-
ceptacles for the homeless, are well
expe-

told,

REVIEW.-Howison's Travels.