We wish we could proceed further brance would have faded; and then amongst our friends and acquaintances no author could have experienced of these novels, for Major (afterwards the same inspiration, nor any reader the Sir Dugald) Dalgetty has not yet been same enjoyment. noticed by us; and we owe him respect because his horse was better than himself, and he knew it. There are moreover the Baron of Bradwardine, Mr. Mucklebarns, Dandie Dinmont, Cuddie; but to specify names, when all are meritorious, would, as the dispatches after battles say, be invidious. Suffice it to declare, that they are all genuine children of their native land; and that while her name shall be Scotland, she will owe gratitude to the author, for having fixed and delineated the remarkable features of a national character, such as no other people can parallel, at the very moment before it was too late. A little longer, and the lively remem We fancy we hear a cry of "name! name !"--and we wish we could conclude our article, as Sir Joshua Reynolds concluded his lectures, by pronouncing the name of the great object of its praise. This is a pleasure, however, which the author of the Scotch novels has not yet permitted to the public. We can only say, that from all we have heard of the personal character and accomplishments, the talents, worth, and patriotism of the most popular Scottish poet of the present day, we should be very much mortified were it afterwards to turn out, that these fine works have been improperly attributed to-WALTER SCOTT. CHRONOLOGICAL NOTES ON THE PRINCIPAL OCCURRENCES IN THE LIFE OF THE QUEEN. 1768. AY 17. The Princess Caroline Amelia also appears to have received several grants from the Droits of the Admiralty, amounting Miz The P2,000. Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbüttel, and of Augusta, sister to George III. King of England, was born at Brunswick. 1695. May 6. Answer of the Princess, acquiescing in the proposal. July. Some negociations took place as to a separate maintenance for the Princess, 20,0001. per annum was mentioned, but nothing appears to have been at this time settled. 1800. The Princess fixed her residence at Montague House, Blackheath. From this period till 1809 she appears to have had an allowance of £12,000 per ann. from the Prince, and £5,000 per ann, as pin money from the Exchequer. In the course of this period she 1801. Nov. The Princess formed an acquaintance with Sir John and Lady Douglas. 1802. July 11. William Austin is alleged to have been born of a poor woman in Brownlow-street hospital. Nov. 2. The Princess is suggested by Lady Douglas to have been delivered of a child. Nov. 15. A boy was brought to Blackheath, and there brought up under the name of William Austin. Dec. The Prince consulted Lord Thur- which it was agreed that the Prince should low on this delicate subject. 1806. Jan. Lord Thurlow recommended Mr. (afterwards Sir Samuel) Romilly to examine into and give an opinion on the matters in question. Feb. Sir S. Romilly was appointed Solicitor General on the accession of Mr. Fox and Lord Grenville to office. March. Sir S. Romilly was directed by the King to confer with Lord Thurlow on the subject of the Princess; which being done, his Lordship advised that the Prince should pursue the investigation, and lay the result before his Majesty. Lord Moira, as counsellor to the Prince, assisted in endeavouring to ascertain the truth from various witnesses. May. The Prince laid the result of his enquiries before his Majesty. -- 29. The King issued a Commission to Lords Erskine (Chancellor), Ellenborough (Chief Justice), Spencer, and Grenville, to take examinations on oath. June. Sir John and Lady Douglas, and a great number of other witnesses, were examined on oath by the Commissioners, Sir S. Romilly being the only person present beside the Commissioners, and reducing the depositions into writing. June 7. The Duke of Kent informed the Princess that a formal investigation into her conduct had commenced. She consulted with Lord Eldon, Mr. Perceval, and Sir T. Plomer thereupon. July 14. The Commissioners made their Report, in substance, that the alleged pregnancy of the Princess was clearly disproved; but that other parts of her conduct, particu. larly with reference to Captain Manby,afforded matter for his Majesty's serious consideration. Aug. 11. The Report was communicated to the Princess. Oct. 6. The Princess laid her defence before the King, who referred it to the Cabinet Ministers. 1807. Jan. 25. Cabinet Minute by the Whig Ministers, recommending that his Majesty should give the Princess a serious admonition on her conduct. Jan. 28. The King sent a message of admonition to the Princess. Feb. The Prince requested his Majesty to suspend his determination as to receiving the Princess at Court, until further investigation should be made into her conduct; to which the King acceded. Some letters of remonstrance from the Princess. March 24. Mr. Perceval came into office. April 22. Mr. Perceval and the rest of the new Ministers signed a Minute of Council, recommending his Majesty to receive the princess at Court,which was accordingly done. June 7. The Duke of Brunswick, father of the Princess, was killed in the battle of Jena: shortly afterwards the Duchess of Brunswick arrived in England. 1809. June. The Princess having got into debt to the amount of 52,000, her creditors applied for payment to the King's Ministers (the Duke of Portland and Mr. Perceval), who referred them to the Prince of Wales. After some negociation, a Deed of Separation was signed by the Prince and Princess, by pay the debts of the Princess to the amount of 49, 000l. and should be exonerated from all future demands on her account, except an addition of 5,000 per annum to her maintenance, making (with the former 17,0002.) 22,000. per annum, which was to be under the control of a Treasurer, in order to provide against future debts; the remaining 3,300l. to be gradually liquidated by her Royal Highness's Treasurer out of her increased allowance. This arrangement was sanctioned by the King and his Ministers. 1812. March 23. The Prince of Wales being now Regent, Mr. Creevey, and other Members of Opposition, suggested that an increased allowance should be made to the Princess of Wales. This suggestion was several times agitated in Parliament whilst the Bill for increasing the allowance of the unmarried Princesses was pending; but no addition was then made to the allowance of the Princess of Wales. In the autumn of this year, some restraints were imposed on the intercourse between the Princess of Wales and her daughter, the Princess Charlotte, in consequence of alledged improprieties in the conduct of the former when the latter was present; and in the winter the Princess of Wales sent a letter of remonstrance on this subject to the Prince Regent. 1813. Feb. 10. This letter was published in the Morning Chronicle; in consequence of which the whole matter was referred by the Prince Regent to the Privy Council. Feb. 24. Report of the Privy Council, signed by 21 Councillors, including the Archbishops of Canterbury, York, and Armagh, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls, Judges of the Prerogative and Admiralty, and Speaker of the House of Commons, that under all the circumstances of the case it was highly fit and proper, with a view to the welfare of the Princess Charlotte, and the most important interests of the State, that the intercourse between the Princess of Wales and the Princess Charlotte, should continue to be subject to restraint. March 1. The Princess wrote a letter of complaint to the Speaker of the House of Commons, which, on the motion of Mr. Cochrane Johnstone, was taken into consideration by the house on the 5th, with closed doors; but the house declined further interference. In consequence of some expressions used in this debate, Sir John and Lady Douglas petitioned Parliament that they might be re-examined on oath, in any way which would subject them to a prosecution for perjury, if they swore falsely. March 23. The Duchess of Brunswick died. 1814. May 23. Letter of the Queen to the Princess of Wales, stating, that as the Prince Regent had declared bis unalterable resolution never more to meet her Royal Highness in public or private, her Majesty must decline receiving her at the drawing-room. The Princess of Wales hereupon addressed a letter to the Queen, and another to the Prince Regent, and after publishing the whole correspondence in the newspapers, communicated it to the House of Commons. June 29. Mr. Methuen moved that this correspondence be taken into consideration. In the course of the debate Mr. Tierney suggested that the Princess of Wales and consort of the Prince Regent, was equitably entitled to £50,000 a year. (This appears to have been on the supposition that she would live in England.) June 29. Lord Castlereagh brought up various papers,and moved a resolution to grant the Princess £50,000 a year; having previously communicated his intentions to her, and received her acquiescence. The resolution passed, was notified to her Royal Highness, and she again declared her acceptance. July 5. The Princess wrote a letter to the Speaker, declaring that she wished to accept only £35,000 a year. On a subsequent day the House agreed to this sum: and a bill was accordingly brought in for that purpose. July 25. The Princess of Wales wrote to the Earl of Liverpool, that she intended to visit Brunswick, and from thence to travel over other parts of the continent. She stated that she had declined the £50,000, because that sum was intended to enable her to hold a Court in England. On the same day, her Royal Highness wrote to Mr. Whitbread, stating that he might inform his friends of her intended departure; but admitting that she had neither asked his nor Mr. Brougham's advice on this step. July 28. Lord Liverpool's answer stated, that the Prince Regent left her Royal Highness at liberty to reside either here or on the Continent. July 29. The Act granting her 35,000l. a year received the Prince Regent's assent. August 9. The Princess of Wales embarked for Hamburg. August 24. Date of the Bond, purporting to be given to the Princess of Wales by her brother, the Duke of Brunswick-Oels, for the sum of 15,0001. sterling, lent to him by her at Brunswick. Shortly after this period the Princess of Wales, attended by Ladies E. Forbes and C. Lindsay, the Hon. K. Craven, Sir W. Gell, Dr. Holland, and Capt. Hesse, proceeded to Italy. October 9. The Princess arrived at Milan, and in about a week hired one Bartolomeo Bergami, an Italian, as Courier, Footman, or Valet-de-place. From Milan the Princess passed through Rome (where she honoured Lucien Buonaparte, with her particular notice) to Naples. Nov. 8. She arrived at Naples. 1815. January. She gave a grand entertainment to Murat. At March. She left Naples, and was then quitted by Lady E. Forbes, the Hon. K. Craven, Sir W. Gell, and Captain Hesse. Her Royal Highness proceeded to Civita Vecchia, where she embarked on board the Clorinde frigate for Genoa. On her way she was quitted by Lady C. Lindsay. Genoa she was joined by Lady Campbell. May. She returned to Milan, where she was quitted by Lady C. Campbell, and was joined by Mr. W. Burrell, who accompanied ner to Venice, but left her there and went to Brussels, the Princess returning to Milan. Dr. Holland quitted her at Venice. June 16. The Duke of Brunswick-Oels was killed in battle against the French. August. After an excursion to Mount St. Gothard and other places, the Princess of Wales established herself at the Villa d'Este on the Lago di Como. At this time the places of her Royal Highness's English Court were supplied by the relations of Bergami and other Italians. Sept. In consequence of reports circulated at Brussels and other places, of the Princess's conduct, persons were now first employed to watch her. Nov. 15. She sailed in the Leviathan to Palermo, and from thence went to Messina, Syracuse, Catania, and other parts of Sicily. 1816. Early in this year the Princess of Wales, accompanied by Bergami, sailed to Tunis, Utica, Athens, and Constantinople, whence she went to Ephesus, Jerusalem, &c. May 2. The Princess Charlotte of Wales was married. Sept. The Princess of Wales returned to the Villa d'Este. About this time she wrote to the Emperor of Austria, complaining of the persons who watched her, but received no answer. Bergami, who had assumed certain honorary decorations, was prehibited by the Austrian Government from wearing the Cross of Malta, to which he had no claim. 1817. Feb. The Princess of Wales made a tour through the Tyrol to Carlsrhue, and returned to Vienna, where the Emperor refused to see her. Thence she proceeded by Trieste to the Villa d'Este, which she soon afterwards sold, and established herself in Aug. atPesaro. Nov. 6. The Princess Charlotte died. In the latter part of this year the Princess came as far as Lyons to meet Mr. Brougham, but he not arriving she returned to Italy. 1820. Jan. 29. By the death of King George III. her Royal Highness became Queen Caroline; and soon after receiving intelligence of this event she set off for Geneva. After some stay there she came on to St. Omer's, and was met on the way by Mr. Alderman Wood and Lady Anne Hamilton. At St. Omer's she was met by Lord Hutchinson and Mr. Brougham, the former of whom proposed to her terms of accommodation, which she rejected,and proceeded to England. June 6. Her Majesty arrived in London. The events since her arrival are too well known to require notice here. QUEEN'S CROWN. The Queen's Crown, which is now in the Regalia Office, in the Tower, and which was made for James the Second's consort, cost 111,900. sterling. Its weight is nineteen ounces only, exclusive of the velvet. Very little, if any, of the gold can be seen, it is so profusely covered with jewels, and although its diameter at the rim is only five inches, it contains 600 diamonds, and nearly 180 pearls! ALTHOUGH our veneration for Mackenzie has induced us to commence this article with an attempt to express our sense of his genius, we scarcely know how to criticise its exquisite creations. The feelings which they have awakened within us are too old and too sacred almost for expression. We scarcely dare to scrutinize with a critic's ear, the blended notes of that sad and soft music of humanity which they breathe. We feel as if there were a kind of privacy in our sympathies with them-as though they were a part of ourselves, which strangers knew not-and as if in publicly expressing them, we were violating the sanctities of our own souls. We must recollect, however, that our readers know them as well as we do, and then to dwell with them tenderly on their merits, will seem like discoursing of the long cherished memories of friends we had in common, and of sweet sorrows participated in childhood. The purely sentimental stile in which the tales of Mackenzie are written, though deeply felt by the people, has seldom met with due appreciation from the critics. It has its own genuine and peculiar beauties, which we love the more the longer we feel them. Its consecrations are altogether drawn from the soul. The gentle tinges which it casts on human life are shed not from the imagination or the fancy, but from the affections. It represents, indeed, humanity as more tender, its sorrow as more gentle, its joys as more abundant than they appear to common observers. But this is not effected by those influences of the imagination which consecrate whatever they touch, which detect the secret analogies of beauty, and bring kindred graces from all parts of nature to heighten the images which they reveal. It affects us rather by casting off from the soul, those impurities and littlenesses which it contracts in the world, than by foreign aids. It appeals to those simple emotions which if The meanest are not the high prerogatives of genius, but which are common to all who are "made of one blood," and partake in The holiest one primal sympathy. feelings, after all, are those which would be the most common selfishness gross "the geand low ambition froze not nial current of the soul." and most ungifted have their gentle remembrances of early days. Love has tinged the life of the artizan and the cottager with something of the romantic. The course of none has been along so beaten a road that they remember not fondly some resting places in their journies; some turns of their path in which lovely prospects broke in upon them; some soft plats of green refreshing to their weary feet. Confiding love, generous friendship, disinterested humanity, require no recondite learning, no high imagination, to enable an honest heart to appreciate and feel them. Too often, indeed, are the simplicities of nature, and the native tendernesses of the soul nipped and chilled by those low anxieties which lie on them “like an untimely frost.". We become lawmuch with us." yers, politicians, merchants, and forget that we are men, and sink in our transitory vocation, that character which is to last for ever. A tale of sentiment— such as those of that honoured veteran whose works we would now particularly remember-awakens all these pulses of deep sympathy with our kind, of whose beatings we had become almost unconIt does honour to humanity by scious. stripping off its artificial disguises. magic is not like that by which Arabian enchanters raised up glittering spires, domes, and palaces by a few cabalistic words; but resembles their power to disclose veins of precious ore where all seemed sterile and blasted. It gently puts aside the brambles which overcast the stream of life, and lays it open to "The world is too Its the reflexions of those delicate clouds which lie above it in the heavens. It shews to us the soft undercourses of feeling, which neither time nor circumstances can wholly stop; and the depth of affection in the soul, which nothing but sentiment itself can fathom. It disposes us to pensive thought-expands the sympathies and makes all the halfforgotten delights of youth "come back upon our hearts again," to soften and to cheer us. Too often has the sentiment of which we have spoken been confounded with sickly affectations in a common censure, But no things can be more opposite than the paradoxes of the inferior order of German sentimentalists and the works of a writer like Mackenzie. Real sentiment is the truest, the most genuine, and the most lasting thing on earth. It is more ancient as well as more certain in its operations, than the reasoning faculties. We know and feel before we think; we perceive before we compare; we enjoy before we believe. As the evidence of sense is stronger than that of testimony, so the light of our inward eye more truly shews to us the secrets of the heart than the most elaborate process of reason. Riches, honours, power, are transitory-the things which appear, pass away-the shadows of life alone are stable and unchanging. Of the recollections of infancy nothing can deprive us. Love endures, even if its object perishes, and nurtures the soul of the mourner. Sentiment has a kind of divine alchymy, rendering grief itself the source of tenderest thoughts, and far-reaching desires, which the sufferer cherishes as sacred treasures. The sorrows over which it sheds its influence are "ill barter'd for the garishness of joy;" for they win us softly from life, and fit us to die smiling. It en dures, not only while fortune changes, but while opinions vary, which the young enthusiast fondly hoped would never forsake him. It remains when the unsubstantial pageants of gcodliest hope vanished. It binds the veteran to the child by ties which no fluctuations even of belief can alter. It preserves the only identity, save that of conscious ness, which man with certainty retains connecting our past with our present, being by delicate ties so subtle, that they vibrate to every breeze of feeling; yet so strong that the tempests of life have not power to break them. It assures us that what we have been we shall be, and that our human hearts shall vibrate with their first sympathies, while the species shall endure. We think that, on the whole, Mackenzie is the first master of this delicious stile. Sterne, doubtless, has deeper touches of humanity in some of his works. But there is no sustained feeling-no continuity of emotion--no extended range of thought, over which the mind can brood in his ingenious and fantastical writings. His spirit is far too mercurial and airy to suffer him tenderly to linger over those images of sweet humanity which he discloses. His cleverness breaks the charm which his feeling spreads, as by magic, around us. His exquisite sensibility is ever counteracted by his perceptions of the ludicrous, and his ambition after the strange. No harmonious feeling breathes from any of his pieces. He sweeps "that curious instrument, the human heart," with hurried fingers, calling forth in rapid succession its deepest and its liveliest tones, and making only marvellous discord. His pathos is, indeed, most genuine while it lasts; but the soul is not suffered to cherish the feeling which it awakens. He does not shed, like Mackenzie, one mild sweet light on the path of life; but scatters on it wild coruscations of ever shifting brightness, which, while they sometimes disclose spots of inimitable beauty, often do but fantastically play over objects dreary and revolting. All in Mackenzie is calm, gentle, harmonious. No play of mistimed wit, no flourish of rhetorick, no train of philosophical speculation, for a moment diverts our sympathy. Each of his best works is like one deep thought, and the impression which it leaves, soft, sweet, and undivided as the summer evening's holiest and latest sigh ! The only exception which we can make to this character, is the Man of |