building, we want, first, historical evidence as to the time of its foundation; and, secondly, proof that the structure has not been rebuilt at a later period. The three edifices that are generally quoted as real specimens of Saxon buildings, are, St. Alban's Abbey Church, the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, and Grimbold's crypt at Oxford; these we consider altogether Norman, and the records which prove the fact are we believe still in existence.

Mr. Malcolm imagines that our ancestors were obliged to put up with "wooden buildings" for their domestic habitations, because the great built their houses all of stone, and by that means the art of brick-making lay perdu: "parsimony in the great," are his words, "revived the art of brick-making." The real cause, in our opinion, of the preference so long given by the middling and lower classes to houses of wood and plaster, was the great plenty of timber and its comparative cheapness in former times. When wood became dearer, which it necessarily did in proportion to the increase of population, brick was resorted to as the material next in cheapness, and, we opine, must from that very circumstance have come into general use, even if the great fire of London had not happened; after which the construction of wooden houses was restrained by act of Parliament: before that event, however, we had many buildings of brick in different parts of the kingdom. This chapter is illustrated with twenty slight engravings of buildings in and near London, principally of modern

erection.

The chapters on Ecclesiastical Architecture,' and Sculpture and Painting,' are much too brief, considering this as an independent work. The former, short as it is, has fourteen illustrative plates: the outlines of altar-pieces, &c., in different churches, are the best.

The volume is concluded by a Sketch of the present' State of Society in London,' and a double Index. Against the Sketch we must enter our most decided protest: though grounded on facts, it is a gross exaggeration. The manners of our populace, and of the lower orders of our journeymen tradesmen, are not so degraded and brutalised as this caricature represents them to be. Undoubtedly, among the vast multitudes that inhabit London, many thousands will be found both vicious and riotous; yet let it be recollected, that the general safety of this immense metropolis is nightly secured by a few hundreds of old and mostly infirm mei;

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that a strong taste for reading has been excited, and become in some degree general among the lower ranks; and that vice and bad habits uniformly decrease with the extinction of ignorance. The deductions from these facts must be obvious; and we shall now quit the consideration of the subject, by remarking, that we can never applaud these degrading exhibitions of human nature, even though altogether founded on unimpeachable truths. The portraits of the middling and superior classes of the community are much better drawn; yet all that soberness of colouring and harmony which are best adapted to sketches of this kind is wanting: with the upper ranks of society, we suspect that Mr. Malcolm is hardly any otherwise acquainted than from report.

It is very difficult to characterise any work in a just and, at the same time, summary manner, the contents of which include such a great variety of subjects as the one before us. Our opinion of particular parts may be gathered from the preceding pages; but as a whole we have yet to consider it. To the future topographers of this renowned city, it presents a valuable mass of information, which was previously scattered through pages possessed but by few, and inaccessible to most: it forms, indeed, a direct and necessary appendage to the Londinium Redivivum' by the same author; and if it does not possess all the advantages of a tasteful selection, it has the merit of displaying much industry. We think, however, that Mr. Malcolm should in every instance have referred us to his authorities, for compilation is best relished, and most useful, when we are acquainted with the volumes and the pages from which its materials are collected. Why are D' Israëli's Curiosities of Literature' so little regarded by literary men, but from the total want of all reference to the sources of the information he records? There are several points, also, in which we must regard this as an imperfect work. The progress of the fine arts, and of literature, during the last century, are most interesting subjects; yet these Mr. Malcolm has not at all noticed, with the exception of some very slight remarks. Perhaps the vastness of the field intimidated inquiry; yet how much and how greatly the character of society has altered with the last hundred years, by the very general diffusion of literature and the arts, must be obvious to the most superficial observers: they ought not to have been so unworthily neglected. We trust that a second impression

of this work will be called for, and that we shall then see it improved by that careful revision, and by those additions, which we have proved to be necessary.

Barrow's Account of the Public Life of Lord Macartney. [Continued from Vol. 31, P. 350.]

WE cannot pass over the numerous instances of insatiable and audacious rapacity only hinted at by Mr. Barrow in these volumes, without at least endeavouring to give additional publicity to some of the facts which he states. One of the greatest temptations to villainy in India is, the delusive belief that its distance from Europe, and the culpable ignorance of Europeans in general respecting the internal state of that country, must necessarily, insure criminals impunity and protection from public exposition. Sooner or later, however, all such offences are known; and we have heard of more than one instance where the "iniquities of the fathers were visited on the children," while others have terminated their guilty career by self-murder. The following observations will convey to the reader some idea of the moral honesty which prevailed in Bengal about twenty years ago; and we fear it is yet very little improved.

"The reports of Lord Macartney's economy, integrity, and disinterestedness, were ill received and ill relished in Bengal, where qualities of such a nature were not of the most thriving kind. At Madras, a contract had been given to Mr. Paul Benfield for supplying the army with carriage bullocks. The terms of this contract Lord Macartney reduced by nearly one fourth part, and annexed conditions which made this gentleman think fit to give it up; but to please the commander in chief, and engage the services of a person who was represented as very capable of rendering them, he was appointed agent for supplying the troops. Whether the emoluments in this office were below his consideration, or whether he éxpected that a disappointment in the agency would lead to a renewal of the contract, he is said to have suffered many of the cattle, committed to his care, to perish for want of food. He demanded for the immediate expenditure of his employ double the amount of the money which he knew to be in the treasury, and otherwise conducted himself in such a manner as to compel Lord Macartney to dismiss him, which gave great offence to his friends in the supreme council. In fact, the detection and reformation of abuses, which was strongly recommended by the court of directors to the early attention of Lord Macartney, could not fail of exciting a jealousy in that place where a profuse expenditure of the Com

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pany's funds had involved the government in an enormous and accumulating debt; where agencies, embassies, and contracts, had drained the public coffers to fill the pockets of individuals, and where there was a total want of economy, both in the civil and military department. At Bengal therefore no character could be more obnoxious than one of an established reputation for inflexible integrity, armed with the power of correcting abuses." P. 226.

The same Benfield was afterwards appointed a commissioner for the arrangement of the finances of the nabob of the Carnatic, and Sullivan was also allowed to hold another lucrative office in the same country. It is much to be wished that Mr. L. D. Campbell, or some other honest and impartial man of talents, well acquainted with the affairs of India, would favour the world with a sketch of the natural history of such adventurers, as some work of the kind seems necessary, not only to the salvation of our Indian dominions, but also to the purity of British legislation. Did the electors of the United Kingdom better know the real cha- . racter of many of those who now call upon them for their suffrages, we might then hope for a radical reform where indeed all true reform should commence; namely, in the people's exercise of judgement in the choice of their representatives. We cannot believe the public feeling of justice to be so low, that such information would not produce most important effects; and if so, the Commons would necessarily cease to be a theatre of corruption, the unavoidable invasions of civil liberty occasioned by French revolutionary despotism be obviated, and the British constitution transmitted unimpaired to future ages. It is a sacred duty to our king, our country, and to civil society, to exert ourselves to the utmost to prevent all men of suspicious integrity from sharing in any civil honours, or becoming legislators of a brave and yet virtuous people. But without a thorough knowledge of the means by which wealth has been acquired in the East and in the West too, it is impossible that this duty can be faithfully discharged; and unless it is duly fulfilled, we must continue our progress in corruption, and expect the fate of other corrupt

- «* Several instances are on record, where agencies on provisions and grain for the use of government were granted to servants of government; where embassadors were appointed with large salaries, who never proceeded on their embassies; but as there is no inten tion to particularise abuses, the fact only is mentioned to show the different systems pursued by the two governments.

immoral nations. When we revert to Holland, Prussia; and other states on the continent, which owe their fall and present misery more to the want of moral honesty than to Buonaparte's sword, we can find nothing in them indicative of greater depravity, than that of technically designating bribes, the hire of dishonesty, nay even of perjury, "as only a little betel among friends!!" This is the slang phrase, familiar (will it be believed?) among British subjects in India. We confess we should willingly have doubted it, had not the very words of a governor himself established the fact beyond the possibility of doubt.

"It was once thought" (says Lord Macartney very coolly, in a confidential letter to Mr. Macpherson, in July, 1782) "that no knight of the Bath could resist the dazzle of one of these gewgaws [diamond stars, given as bribes by the native petty princes]; yet out of half a dozen brethren there is one, at least, who has not been blinded by them. That lure, among others, was thrown out, when still stronger was rejected, and was called only betel among friends; but it was a kind of betel I was determined neither to chew nor swallow, and I wish some of our friends had been of the same way of thinking."

Abandoned or unthinking men may scoff at these things, but we are persuaded that there is not one honest intelligent person in the United Kingdom who is not convinced that moral honesty is indispensable both to the governors and governed in every state, and that without this essential ingredient the best of governments must soon fall a prey, either to an external enemy, or to some ambitious demagogue. The awful events which have passed, and are now passing before our eyes, should teach us the necessity of having only men of probity and talents in every department of the state.

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Lord Macartney, anticipating his re-call, determined to leave a full treasury to his successor, and collected " unexpected mass of thirteen lacks of rupees," to prevent any adverse consequence to the Company, from the voluntary, but culpably foolish, resignation of the assignment on the Carnatic, which, after spending immense blood and treasure, has since been violently re-assumed.

"A great part of this sum consisted of such presents and fees on presentations to appointments as had been usual for governors to take for their private emolument, but which had rarely, if ever, before been applied to public use.

His lordship, before leaving Madras, voluntarily made