it is embellished with illustrations from designs by Westall, and there is now added an introductory essay, in which due justice is done to the many illustrious women whose talent and virtues have demanded the notice of the historian. This little volume is particularly adapted as a prize-book or present to young ladies, but might be read with advantage by any one, with as little reference to age as to sex.

THREE YEARS IN PERSIA.*

Sir

SIR JOHN MALCOLM and Mr. Morier, by their able illustrations of Persian Life and History, directed the attention of Europe-but more particularly England-towards that interesting country. John united the scholar with the tourist so pleasantly, that very few works relating to the East will be found so entertaining as his Persian recollections, and the union of imagination with matter-of-fact in that popular oriental romance, "Hadji Baba," Mr. Morier has contrived to render equally agreeable. Though we cannot claim for the author of "Three Years in Persia," talent equal to that exhibited in the productions of his celebrated predecessors, his book possesses advantages scarcely less entitled to the reader's consideration. His long residence in the principal cities, and his frequent travels through different parts of the country most worthy of observation, afforded him facilities for becoming acquainted with the characteristics of this land of roses and nightingales, no previous traveller could have obtained; and though he is the most unpretending of writers, he produces the information he procured, in a manner that cannot fail to render it entertaining. His object in Persia appears to have been a commercial one, and that accounts for the ability with which he treats everything in the country bearing a commercial aspect, and the comprehensiveness of the information he furnishes on these subjects. Respecting the commerce of Persia, he may be referred to with confidence, particularly where he describes its mining enterprises, which he seems to have very closely examined; and the present anomalous state of our commercial and political relations with that country is treated with equal ability. Indeed, so completely does he enter into the past and existing state of this portion of the East, the intrigues of the Russians, the late war between them and the Persians, the treaty of peace they subsequently entered into, and the defective diplomacy of Great Britain, that it is impossible thoroughly to understand the true character of our foreign policy in this quarter of the globe, without consulting these pages. Mr. Fowler also describes the great men of Persia with a similar minuteness and fidelity; among these Tuttee Ali Shah, and Abbas Meerza, of course figure, most prominently the many interesting particulars of these illustrious personages he has collected, affording by far the best portraits of them that are to be met with. The author's travelling adventures are sufficiently romantic to give picturesque and lively character to the chief materials of his work, besides affording an admirable pic

Three Years in Persia, and Travelling Adventures in Koordistan. By George Fowler, Esq. 2 vols., with Illustrations.

ture of domestic life in Persia, the ceremonies, festivals, laws, customs, and manners of the inhabitants; but his adventures in Koordistan will be found still more interesting, as the traveller met with many difficulties and some few dangers whilst traversing the country of the Koords, he having been taken prisoner by these lawless people, and his life placed in imminent peril. This part of the work conveys the most graphic sketches of Koordish life ever made public; indeed, so very little is known in Europe of these wild tribes, that Mr. Fowler deserves to be considered the first traveller by whom they have been made familiar to the reader. From what we have stated, therefore, "Three Years in Persia" may be regarded not only as a very amusing book of travels, but as an equally instructive work of reference on the present condition of Persia and the Persians.

NOTES ON NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Manners and Customs of the Japanese in_the_Nineteenth Century, from recent Dutch Visitors of Japan and the German of Dr. Th. Fr. Von Siebold.-The jealousy of the Japanese has hitherto kept their country and institutions closed against European observation, with the exception of when some scientific physician, belonging to the Dutch factory, has been allowed to extract from his Japanese patients and acquaintances a slight knowledge of some of their most striking features, which has sometimes been obtained, notwithstanding the oaths administered to all likely to come in contact with Europeans that they shall reveal nothing. For the last hundred years therefore all the information that could be collected has been procured by servants of the factory, and published in Holland. Nothing can exceed the pertinacity with which the government of Japan continues to enforce strict non-intercourse as far as such enforcement is possible, and in this they have so far succeeded, that the rest of the world are obliged to remain in profound ignorance of this remarkable country and singular people, or content themselves with the imperfect and unsatisfactory notices to be found in a few Dutch and German books on the subject. The author of this volume has digested the materials these sources afford into a methodical narrative, in which the manners and customs described are so curious that they cannot but prove a source of interest to such as possess a taste for books of travels; but we think that there are very few readers of any description who can go through his pages without being entertained with the extraordinary picture they present.

The Moral Government of God Elucidated and Enforced. By Thomas Kerns, M.D., Author of "The Arcana of Nature Revealed," &c.-We are always grateful when so able a writer as Dr. Kerns comes forward to exhibit the philosophy of religion; and in the work before us be enforces on us a more than ordinary obligation, by the clear and argumentative manner in which he has undertaken this responsible task. He com. mences with an examination of the attributes of the Deity, which leads to an inquiry into the nature of the more immediate agents of His holy will. From this we are led to a consideration of man, tracing him from the creation, through his marvellous history as disclosed in the inspired writings till the realization of the promise of salvation by atonement. An admirable argument on the excellence of the Christian religion follows, which is succeeded by an able exposition of the nature and influence of death, and the prospects of immortality. Dr. Kerns has here furnished the religious reader with matter worthy of his constant meditation.

The Parliamentary System of Short Hand. By Thomas Parker.-The most perfect plan of abbreviating time and labour in writing that exists, possessing all the excellences of the systems of Mason and Gurney simplified, curtailed, and improved. This being the third edition of Mr. Parker's useful treatise, any other acknowledgment of its superiority must be unnecessary.

THE

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

FATHERS AND SONS.

BY THE EDITOR.

CHAP. XVII.

IN descriptions and classifications of the various degrees of anger a variety of terms are used-"a towering passion," "an infernal rage," and half a dozen others, perhaps not altogether so delicate in their phraseology. If the best judges of such matters were to have adopted the strongest possible language as descriptive of Colonel Bruff's boundless impetuosity when he returned to town, they would best have "suited the word to the action."

of me.

"So, Mrs. Smylar," said the veteran, without waiting for the accustomed salute-we speak militarily-" so, a pretty fool you have made Induced me to move my corps bodily upon false information -sent me to Amersham's to discover, confound, and expose Frank Grindle as a deceiver, an interloper, and a traitor, and no Frank Grindle was to be seen."

Smylar, whose presence of mind (as imperturbable impudence is sometimes called) was very remarkable, instead of sinking at old Bruff's feet, like Fatima under the rage of Blue Beard, as she had frequently done at Bullocks-smithy, stood patiently looking him in the face with a wondering expression of countenance, and a most provoking fixedness of eye, and then with unmoved muscles, except indeed some little quivering of her lips, which she compressed as firmly as she could, she threw herself into a theatrical attitude, and repeated the well-known lines from "Tom Thumb," in which admirable burlesque she had so often figured:

"Thus far with victory our arms are crown'd,

For though we have not fought, yet have we found

No foe to fight withal."

"That's all mighty well," said Bruff, "and you are a vastly clever person; but you have put me to inconvenience, and moreover made me July.-VOL. LXII. NO. CCXLVII.

X

look exceedingly ridiculous by sending me down on a fool's errand to a house which I rarely visit, and in which I haven't been for several years. They were as much astonished at my arrival as

"The frogs in the pond," said Smylar, who, relying upon her influence was, all for a quarrel, "when King Log tumbled in amongst them."

"That'll do, Smylar," said the colonel, as far as that goes; but that's not all-no-not half. I find that you have thought proper to let Jane know the history about George's ci-devant young friend in France."

"Me!" said Smylar. "Why, colonel, you have been bitten by some mad person while you were away! Why should I say anything

about it?"

"Jane says you did," said the colonel.

"Is it not rather more likely," said Smylar, "that her confidential maid, Harris, may have hinted it to her?"

"How should Harris know anything about it?" asked the colonel. "How!" said Mrs. Smylar. "She is upon tolerably good terms with Mr. Rumfit, and he to my knowledge has been before now with Mr.George Grindle's man to the villa in the Regent's-park."

"That'll do," said the colonel. "If I could do as I liked, I would soon put an end to that confederacy, and send them both packing; but as it is "

And here the gallant and disagreeable officer paused-his mind, as he called it, being full of the difficulties which he had himself created. He had, not perhaps fancying that so much of the true history was actually known, committed himself to his daughter-she that was all truth and honour-in a direct point-blank falsehood, and a falsehood which might be called of a "double dye," inasmuch as it not only went to deceive his innocent child, but to cast a stigma upon an excellent man who, in addition to all his claims upon society generally, possessed that of being the nearest living connexion, except his father, of very man who in a few days was to become his son-in-law.

the

"Well," muttered the great officer, "so let it be then. All young men have their indiscretions. Marriage will cure George, and the less said about it the better."

"I," said Smylar, "am all for a quiet life-I wish to see things go well and respectably in the family, and I would and will do everything to maintain its character, but it is hard-very hard-at a time when I am doing everything I can to carry your views and wishes into effect, sacrificing everything for you, to be charged with imprudence, or carelessness, or improvidence. Even if I did say anything to Jane upon the subject, it was because I was certain she knew of it before. If I say I will do a thing, I will do it; but I must manage as well as act-it must be done my own way, or not at all."

They who know the sort of influence which such a woman as Smylar is calculated to obtain over such a man as Bruff, will perceive at a glance that he was again trapped-again netted; and worse would have been his fate had his fair minister been aware of the real "state of the case" as regarded the imputation he had only a few hours before cast upon Francis Grindle.

Nor was he—the great officer-at all easier in his mind even after

their reconciliation had taken place with the usual ceremonies, and his mandate as to dinner had been issued. The more he reflected upon his indiscretion in adopting for a temporary purpose a falsehood which, let what might happen, must eventually be discovered, the more he thought-instinctively at least-in the spirit of the passage of Sir William Temple's, which he certainly had never read, "that one time or other truth will be uppermost, like cork, though kept down in the water;" and with this worrying feeling in his mind he began to calculate whether he had not better make a confidante of his tyrant fair. But Lady Gramm would be looking out for him at her little soireecould he resist? or, rather, could he contrive to go to it? It was evidently a sore point with Smylar, so he made up his mind to secure his safe-landing there, by dining at the Doldrum, and thence proceeding to her ladyship's agreeable circle, a decision which again inflamed the active housekeeper, who felt conscious that matters were drawing to a conclusion, and that unless she adopted some new and stronger expedient, the main object of her life would be lost-in fact, if something was not decided as related to her interests before Jane was married to George, her defeat in the great project seemed all but certain.

Under these feelings the colonel marched forth to dinner, and Smylar returned to her room, to hold a council with herself as to the best and most favourable course to pursue under all the circumstances.

Meanwhile poor Jane's thoughts dwelt upon scarcely any other subject than the " young lady at Versailles ;" strange as it may seem, we certainly know that her father's statement that the lady belonged to Frank Grindle, had by no means quieted her; in truth she from the most quiet and peaceful retirement, from the enjoyment of the tranquillity of mind of the blest maid

-whose bosom

No headstrong passion knows,-"

had been suddenly and involuntarily plunged, as it were, into a vortex of difficulties, and plots, and counterplots, and concealments, and stratagems, wholly unconscious of their origin, contrivance, or object, but still aware that she had all at once become a person of importance, which she never desired, and of observation and remark which she least in the world coveted; added to which was the impending certainty of her marriage. Was it a certainty? That was the question she now began to ask herself. Could she endure the misery which she felt must inevitably result from her union with George Grindle-could she induce herself, even upon the principle of self-preservation, to rebel against her father? These were the two main points on which she had never ventured to touch seriously with Emma, but as the days rolled on, and the time drew near for the "nuptial celebration," she found her mind occupied by them more than she fancied it possible it ever could or would have been.

How far she had gone in her communications with Mrs. Amersham we already know-how much farther she might propose to open her heart to her friend, we have yet to discover; certain however it is, that that friend was herself a little unsettled by the account of the beauty at Versailles, and more than angry that the history of the neglected lady should have been given to Frank, because, besides