the rain rattled among the leaves; the thunder bellowed worse than that which is now bellowing; the lightning seemed to lick up the surges of the stream; but Sam, snugly sheltered under rock and tree, lay crouched in his skiff, rocking upon the billows until he fell asleep. "When he awoke, all was quiet. The gust had passed away, and only now and then a faint gleam of lightning in the east showed which way it had gone. The night was dark and moonless; and from the state of the tide Sam concluded it was near midnight. He was on the point of making loose his skiff to return homewards, when he saw a light gleaming along the water from a distance, which seemed rapidly approaching. As it drew near, he perceived it came from a lantern in the bow of a boat, which was gliding along under shadow of the land. It pulled up in a small cove, close to where he was. A man jumped on shore, and searching about with the lantern, exclaimed,This is the place-here's the iron ring.' The boat was then made fast, and the man returning on board, assisted his comrades in conveying something heavy on shore. As the light gleamed among them, Sam saw that they were five stout desperate-looking fellows, in red woollen caps, with a leader in a three-cornered hat, and that some of them were armed with dirks, or long knives, and pistols. They talked low to one another, and occasionally in some outlandish tongue which he could not understand.

"On landing, they made their way among the bushes, taking turns to relieve each other in lugging their burthen up the rocky bank. Sam's curiosity was now fully aroused; so, leaving his skiff, he clambered silently up a ridge that overlooked their path. They had stopped to rest for a moment; and the leader was looking about among the bushes with his lantern. 'Have you brought the spades?' said one. They are here,' replied another, who had them on his shoulder. "We must dig deep, where there will be no risk of discovery,' said a third.

"A cold chill ran through Sam's veins. He fancied he saw before him a gang of murderers about to bury their victim. His knees smote together. In his agitation he shook the branch of a tree with which he was supporting himself, as he looked over the edge of the cliff.

"What's that?' cried one of the gang. • Some one stirs among

the bushes!'

"The lantern was held up in the direction of the noise. One of the red-caps cocked a pistol, and pointed it towards the very place where Sam was standing. He stood motionless-breathless-expecting the next moment to be his last. Fortunately, his dingy complexion was in his favour, and made no glare among the leaves.

"' 'Tis no one,' said the man with the lantern. 'What, a plague! you would not fire off your pistol and alarm the country?'

"The pistol was uncocked, the burthen was resumed, and the party slowly toiled along the bank. Sam watched them as they went, the light sending back fitful gleams through the dripping bushes; and it

was not till they were fairly out of sight that he ventured to draw breath freely." Vol. II. p. 330.

"The red-caps had nearly finished their work; the grave was filled up, and they were carefully replacing the turf. This done, they scattered dry leaves over the place; And now,' said the leader, I defy the devil himself to find it out!'

"The murderers!' exclaimed Sam, involuntarily. The whole gang started, and looking up, beheld the round black head of Sam just above them; his white eyes strained half out of their orbits, his white teeth chattering, and his whole visage shining with cold perspiration.

"We're discovered!' cried one.

"Down with him!' cried another.

"Sam heard the cocking of a pistol, but did not pause for the report. He scrambled over rock and stone, through bush and briar ; rolled down banks like a hedgehog; scrambled up others like a catamount. In every direction he heard some one or other of the gang hemming him in. At length he reached the rocky ridge along the river: one of the Red-caps was hard behind him. A steep rock like a wall rose directly in his way; it seemed to cut off all retreat, when, fortunately, he espied the strong cord-like branch of a grape-vine reaching half way down it. He sprang at it with the force of a desperate man; seized it with both hands; and, being young and agile, succeeded in swinging himself to the summit of the cliff. Here he stood in full relief against the sky, when the Red-cap cocked his pistol and fired. The ball whistled by Sam's head. With the lucky thought of a man in an emergency, he uttered a yell, fell to the ground, and detached at the same time a fragment of the rock, which tumbled with a loud splash into the river.

"I've done his business,' said the Red-cap to one or two of his comrades as they arrived panting: "he'll tell no tales, except to the fishes in the river.' Vol. II. p. 336.

The general rate of the "Tales" is not inferior to the "Sketch Book," or "Bracebridge Hall." But the public have decided against them, for the reason that they were only of the same rank,-repetitions of the Author; and that he had been under circumstances which ought to have produced something much better. After two or three years' gleaning in Germany and Italy, it was to be presumed that his subjects and his style would have shown the natural improvement of study and travel. The richness and depth of German general literature, and the romantic, stirring, high-coloured traditions of the south, were thrown open to him; and the man who could traverse the mine, or the enchanted garden, without bringing back either gem or

fruit, stood the obvious hazard of being supposed incapable or idle. Unfortunately, nothing can be more exhausted, or less prepossessing than the Introduction to these volumes, which sets forth a fit of sickness, and the weariness of having nothing to do, as the stimulant to their production; and then wanders on in a half-palliating, half-defying strain, to detail the sources from which the author sometimes directly borrowed, sometimes supposed that he borrowed, and sometimes did not care whether he borrowed or not. These are the puerilities and affectations of a writer surcharged with blue-stocking praise, and will of course pass away with the disposing cause. Mr. Irving has powers worthy of obtaining a more honourable and permanent approbation, and we will expect to see him recovering from his fall, with a vigour unknown to the most select and sublime discussors of chocolate and genius in May Fair.

The Greek Revolution; its Origin and Progress: together with some Remarks on the Religion, National Character, &c., of Greece. By EDWARD BLAQUIERE, Esq. Author of " An Historical Review, of the Spanish Revolution," &c. 8vo. Pp. 370. London. Whittaker. 1824.

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We had intended to go into the subject of the Greek cause at some length, but have found it impossible, in the present number, from the pressure of other matter. In the mean time we must, in justice, speak of this volume as giving, beyond all comparison, the clearest and most authentic statement of the present position of the Greek war, with a brief but intelligent narrative of the predisposing circumstances, the revolt of the Ipsilantis, &c.

From Mr. Blaquiere having collected his materials on the spot, and from his peculiar advantages of observation, as a direct agent acknowledged by the Greek government, and in constant communication with its principal men, his work takes the lead of every thing that has appeared on the subject. We see that it has already reached a second edition.

We shall resume this interesting subject.

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Histoire Militaire de la Campagne de Russie en 1812. Par le CotoNEL BOUTOURLIN, Aide-de-camp de S. M. l'Empereur de Russie. 2 vols. 8vo. Paris. 1824.

Pochode Napoleóna iv Rossii, i Bégstvo ehó iz Onoi; or, the March of Napoleon to Russia, and his Flight from It. 2 parts. 8vo. Moscow. 1815.

Ruskiyé i Napoleón Bonaparte; or, the Russians and Napoleon Buo naparte. 1 vol. 8vo. Moscow. 1814.

Porajéniyé Phrantsúzof na Séveré; or, the Defeat of the French in the North. Two Parts. 8vo. Moscow. 1814.

Napoleón i Phrantsúzof iv Moskvé; or, Napoleon and the French in Moscow. 1 vol. 8vo. Moscow. 1813.

Versuch Einer Darstellung der Verbrennung und Pliinderung Moskwas durch die Franzosen im September 1812. Von EINEM AUGENZEUGEN. 1 vol. 8vo. St. Petersburgh. 1813.

La Vérité sur l'Incendie de Moscou. Par le COMTE ROSTOPCHINE Pamphlet. Paris. 1823.

THE French campaign in Russia, in the year 1812, was assuredly the most remarkable in European warfare. The magnitude of the design, which was no less than the conquest of the world through the ruin of the Russian monarchy; the gigantic force, combined of the troops of almost every nation of Western and Southern Europe; and the terrible completeness and havoc of the defeat, all place it among the most stupendous junctures of history.

We have collected the chief foreign publications on this event which have not been hitherto generally in the public hands. Of these, the first in every sense of authenticity and importance is the work of Colonel Boutourlin. His volumes contain a long and laboured detail of the whole operations of the campaign, the plans of the Russian generals, the state of both armies, the marches, positions, and battles; and each chapter is closed with critical remarks on the manœuvres. They are illustrated by an atlas, containing many tables, two maps of the theatre of war, and admirable plans of the engagements; the whole forming a valuable addition to military statistics and strategy. The other Russian works, at the head of this article, are statements of the principal events of the year

VOL. II. NO. V.

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1812, given with a not unnatural leaning to the side of their country. They are, however, in general amusing from their anecdotes, and in some instances rise even to historic value, from their giving numerous letters and public documents of the Russian emperor, of Rostopchín, of Kutúsof, &c., and details of the extraordinary efforts made by the nobility, and other opulent classes, in the defence of the empire. The German work respecting the burning and plunder of Moscow, is an interesting, though extended narrative, by a Mr. Horne, a German bookseller and Count Rostopchín's pamphlet was published on purpose to exonerate himself from the shame, or rather the glory, of having caused Moscow to be burned.

Colonel Boutourlin's work derives an additional and very peculiar interest from the situation of the writer. He is aid-decamp to the emperor Alexander. The work is dedicated to him, has been printed in Russian, and from concurring circumstances, we believe ourselves fully authorized in the conclusion that every line of the MSS. had been seen by his majesty, if the work is not sent out to the world as the emperor's personal feeling and opinions of this memorable effort of his army and his people.

If such be the fact, its impartiality, its generous allowance of the enemy's military merits, and its general freedom from exaggeration, trifling, and bitterness, give a highly honourable testimony to the mind of the emperor.

A sketch of the state of Russian and French policy occupies the earlier portion of these volumes. After repeated insults and apologies, negociations commenced, and stipulations broken, Russia was seriously alarmed by the obvious preparations of Napoleon for establishing a rival power in Poland. New Gallicia had been recently added to the duchy of Warsaw, and to a direct remonstrance Napoleon returned but an evasive answer. War was now determined on by both cabinets, and delayed by both only for more tremendous preparation.

"The

"At the beginning of the year 1812 all presaged the near explosion of the grand crisis with which Europe was menaced."attitude of the emperor of the French was the more menacing, that beside the military resources of the French empire and of the kingdom of Italy, he had also at his disposition those of the allies or rather vassals of his empire, as the kings of Naples, and Switzerland, the princes of the confederation of the Rhine, and the duchy of Warsaw. With the exception of Russia, of England, and of Turkey, there remained no actually independent powers in Europe."

"Buonaparte after enjoying magnificent festivals at Dresden with the emperor of Austria and the king of Prussia, left that city on the