Quarterly Review
VOLUME 16, NUMBER 32 (January 1817)

NOTES

• This Number was published 20 May 1817 [Courier advertisement, 20 May 1817]
  
  
• The author of #661 (John Wilson Croker) on page 242 of that article refers to article #418 as having been published in 'our Number of April, 1817.' In doing so, Croker must have had a copy of the QR in hand that still bore its original wrappers as these are dated 'APRIL, 1817' (Present writer's collection). Dates in the front and end advertisements in the QR as originally distributed supply additional evidence, however, that the Number was published in late May. The date on John Murray's book list inserted behind the fly leaf at the front of Number 32 as originally distributed reads 'May, 1817', and advertisements at the back of Number 32, as originally distributed, are dated as follows: Transaction of the Horticultural Society of London, 'May 1, 1817'; Francis Baily, A New Chart of History, 'June 1, 1817.'; Thomas Stamford Raffles The History of Java, 'Leadenhall Street, London, May 1817.
  
  
• An article consisting of 13 pages originally intended for this Number was cancelled [Murray MS., Cash Day Book 1817-1819, p. 47, dated 18 January 1817]
  
  
• Important or otherwise interesting articles in this Number include: #415, #416, #417, #418, #419
  
  
• Number of definite attributions for this issue: 8
  
  
• Number of articles for which no suggestion of authorship is made: 2

CONTENTS, IDENTIFICATION OF CONTRIBUTORS, AND HISTORICAL NOTES

410 Article 1. Riley, An Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the American brig Commerce, wrecked on the Western Coast of Africa, in the month of August, 1815; with an Account of the Sufferings of her surviving Officers and Crew, who were enslaved by the wandering Arabs on the Great African Desert, or Zahahrah &c., 287-321. Author: John Barrow.

Running Title: Riley's Shipwreck, and Captivity, &c.

Notes: In querying its attribution to Robert Southey, Shine cites JM III's Register and says to see also Smiles II 40 and Lockhart V 33.

The following evidence was first published in VPR 28. The article is not in Southey's definitive manuscript list or in any holograph lists of his articles and it is not mentioned in his correspondence from this period. The article's author refers back to #337, which is by Barrow. The article is referred to in #431, #457 (twice), and #531 (specific reference), all of which are by Barrow. The author's discussion of the Niger River and Lake Wangara and his argument that it connects with the Nile (pp.317-19) is identical with Barrow's discussion in #337 (pp.140-51), #373 (pp.469-71), #431 (pp.325-27), #457 (pp.347-49), and #544 (passim). In his QR articles, it was Barrow's signature practice to refer to his own works. In the article's head note, Sahara is spelled as above. 

[Bookseller's note: 'Riley was master of the Commerce, which was wrecked off the coast of Morocco and the crew captured and enslaved by the Arabs. After many adventures and much suffering, Riley reached Mogadore, where he was ransomed. His account was first published in Hartford in 1817. Huntress 190C; American Imprints 13955.']

JM III's Register : 'R. Southey.' 

411 Article 2. M. Tullii Cicernois Sex Orationum Fragmenta inedita, cum Commentariis antiquis etiam ineditis. Invenit, recensuit, notis illustravit Angelus Maius, Bibliothecæ Ambrosianæ à Linguis Orientalibus. Mediolani; Q. Aurelii Symmanchi octo Orationum ineditarum partes. Invenit, notisque declaravit A. Maius. Mediol.; M. Cornelii Frontonis Opera inedita, cum Epistulis item ineditis Antonini Pii, M. Aurelii, L. Veri, et Appiani. Invenit A Maius., Mediol.; M. Accii Plauti Fragmenta inedita: item ad P. Terentium Commentationes et Picturœ ineditœ. Inventore A. Maio. Mediol; Themistii Philosophi Oratio de Prœfectura suscepta. Inventore et interprete A. Maio. Mediol.; Dionysii Halicarnassei Romanarum Antiquitatum pars hactenus desiderata—Nunc denique ope Codicum Ambrosianorum ab Angelo Maio, quantum licuit, restituta. Opus Franciso I. Augusto sacrum. Mediol., 321-37. Author: Charles James Blomfield, probably.

Running Title: Ambrosian Manuscripts.

Notes: In attributing the article to Blomfield, Shine cites only JM III's Register.

Note the ostentatious display of classical learning characteristic of Blomfield.

JM III's Register: attribution to Blomfield, but without evidence.

412 Article 3. Plumptre, Narrative of a Residence in Ireland during the Summer of 1814, and that of 1815, 337-44.  Author: John Wilson Croker.

Running Title: Miss Plumptre's Narrative of a Residence in Ireland.

Notes: In attributing the article to Croker, Shine cites JM III's Register; Smiles II 44; Clark 178, 197-98; and Brightfield 454.

The following evidence is published here for the first time. Murray MS., John Wilson Croker to JM, 14 May 1817 and Harewood MS., WG to George Canning, 25 Oct. 1816 indicate that the article is by Croker. Claimed by Croker in five of his Clements Library MS. lists and included in the Cambridge University bound volumes of Croker's articles. 

Iowa MS., Friday, 25 Mar. [1817]: 'I am perfectly confident [double underlined in the MS.] that Mr G is full as sanguine & in earnest as about as to your object which is indeed that of almost the whole country though he more cautiously wishes at first rather to prepare the Soil than abruptly to plant the Tree.' This letter more likely applies instead to #418. 

JM III's Register: attribution to Croker, citing unspecified letters. 

413 Article 4. Koster, Travels in Brazil, 344-87. Author: Robert Southey.

Running Title: Koster's Travels in Brazil.

Notes: In attributing the article to Southey, Shine cites JM III's Register; Cottle 242-43; Southey 577; Water III 484 (that says the article was mutilated), and IV 520 (also says the article was mutilated.) Shine says to see also Warter III 17, 48 and Smiles II 40.

The following evidence is published here for the first time. The article appears in Southey's definitive MS. list of his QR articles. 

JM III's Register: attribution to Southey, but without evidence. 

414 Article 5. Porden, The Veils, or the Triumph of Constancy. A Poem, in Six Books, 387-96. Author not identified.

Running Title: Miss Porden's Veils, a Poem.

Notes: In the absence of guidance from JM III's Register, Shine does not suggest an author for this article.

The following discussion is published here for the first time. The only writer in this period who in the QR took an interest in occult knowledge (the general topic of this article) is Francis Cohen (Sir Francis Palgrave). The writer of #414, however, is not sympathetic to the material. The article is as much about Darwin as it is about Porden. The article is in Croker's style, but it is not claimed by him in any of his MS. lists preserved at the Clements Library, Ann Arbor. 

Sample: 'The privilege of personification is an important one, and therefore it should be used charily.' (p.395)

Summary: The object of science is the discovery and dissemination of truth and poetry; the language of imagination is not its proper vehicle.

Key words: Darwin; Erasmus; Paracelsus; Pope; Porden; Rosicrucian doctrine.

415 Article 6. Laou-sing-urh, or 'An Heir in his Old Age,' a Chinese Drama. Translated from the Original Chinese. By J. F. Davis, Esq. of Canton. To which is prefixed a Brief View of the Chinese Drama and of their Theatrical Exhibitions, 396-416. Author: John Barrow.

Running Title: Chinese Drama—Lord Amherst's Embassy.

Notes: In the absence of guidance from JM III's Register, Shine does not suggest an author for this article.

The following evidence was first published in VPR 28. The article is referred to at #438, which is also by Barrow. Barrow is quoted twice (pp.401, 421); there are frequent references to Barrow's friend, George Staunton; Lord Macartney (Barrow was translator for Macartney in China)  is defended (pp.412-13); the description (p.410) of Amherst's Chinese embassy resembles Barrow's in #438 (p.489); cf. also the discussion of Chinese drama in Barrow's first QR article, #48 (p.269). In his QR articles, it was Barrow's signature practice to refer to his own works. 

Lord Amherst's embassy was the subject of ER #825, Feb. 1818, by John Crawfurd.

416 Article 7. Repton, Fragments on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, including some remarks on Grecian and Gothic Architecture, collected from various MSS. in the possession of the different Noblemen and Gentlemen for whose use they were originally designed. The whole tending to establish fixed principles in the respective Arts, 416-30. Author not identified.

Running Title: Repton's Fragments on Landscape Gardening.

Notes: In the absence of guidance from JM III's Register, Shine does not suggest an author for this article.

The following discussion is published here for the first time. No evidence has been located to suggest the authorship of this fine article. A search of manuscript sources at the BL by the present writer has turned up no contemporary reference to this article. Internal evidence is not in this case very helpful and may be misleading.  Note author's use of italics and repeated use of the phrases 'we are not,' 'we have not,' 'we do not,' 'we would not,' 'having thus,' characteristic of Lyall's writing, but there is nothing else to indicate that Lyall took an interest in this subject. Note the phrase: 'We have not sufficient materials . . . .' (p.421) that is also found in an article by Robert William Hay (#269). Ends with: 'We must now take our leave of . . . .' cf. #422, Barrow, and the article contains other references that echo Barrow, including references to China and Lord Macartney but little else in the article makes one think of Barrow. Mason's works—whose English Garden is not liked by the author; mentioned on p.423—are reviewed at #390 by Whitaker. In that article Whitaker says of the English Garden that it is 'neither the most poetical nor vigorous of his compositions.' Compare Murray MS., Cash Day Book 1817-1819, p. 46, dated 9 July 1817 'QR / Composing answer to Payne Knight'.

The volume under review has become exceptionally collectible with, as of this writing, an American bookseller offering the volume at $35,000.

Key words:  Bacon; China; Ghe Hol; Hirschfield; House of Bourbon; Le Notre; Louis XIV; Mason Medici; Repton; Walpole; William III Holland.

417 Article 8. [Scott,] Tales of My Landlord. Third Edition., 430-80. Author: Walter Scott and William Erskine, with William Gifford.

Running Title: Tales of My Landlord.

Notes: Citing a variety of evidence, Shine suggests a combination of authors with Scott as the primary contributor in each case but one. The exception is Nassau William Senior, a claim based on Levy 81-82. Shine says 'see Senior, which omits this essay.' 

The following evidence clears up the confusion and is published here for the first time. NLS MS. 852 (f.54), Walter Scott to JM, [28] Jan. 1817 (copy) says that William Erskine is finishing his (Scott's materials) and that the article contains curious matter about the Whigs and the Solemn League. The volume under review was published in London by John Murray (and in Edinburgh by Blackwood). 

The subject of this article was reviewed in ER #795, Mar. 1817, by Francis Jeffrey.

For a useful note on Scott's Tales of My Landlord, including comment on its critical reception in the Quarterly Review and other contemporary journals, see the Walter Scott Digital Archive, an excellent online resource from the Division of Special Collections, Edinburgh University Library. 

 JM II's marked QR: 'Sir W Scott'. 

JM III's Register: attribution to Sir Walter Scott, but without evidence.

418 Article 9. Santini, An Appeal to the British Nation on the Treatment experienced by Napoleon Buonaparte in the Island of St. Helena; Official Memoir Dictated by Napoleon, being a Letter from Count de Montholon to Sir Hudson Lowe. Fourth Edition, with a Preface; Barnes, A Tour through the Island of St. Helena &c. with some particulars respecting the Arrival and Detention of Napoleon Buonaparte; Manuscript venu de St. Hélène d'une manière inconnue. Troisième Edition, 480-511. Author: John Wilson Croker.

Running Title: Buonaparte's Appeal to the British Nation.

Notes: In attributing the article to Croker, Shine cites JM III's Register; Gentleman's Magazine XXI 140; and Brightfield 454. 

The following evidence is published here for the first time. Claimed by Croker in three of his Clements Library MS. lists and included in the Cambridge University bound volumes of Croker's articles. Iowa MS. (f. 192), Friday, 25 Mar. [1817]: 'I am perfectly confident [double underlined in the MS.] that Mr G is full as sanguine & in earnest as about as to your object which is indeed that of almost the whole country though he more cautiously wishes at first rather to prepare the Soil than abruptly to plant the Tree.' This letter may apply instead to #412. In the first paragraph of article #661, the reviewer (Croker)  indicates that his article is one in a series. The other articles he alludes to are #408, #418, and #439, each of which is by Croker.

JM II's marked QR: 'Croker'. 

JM III's Register: attribution to Croker, but without evidence. 

For literature related to the history and topography of St Helena, consult the excellent website St Helena Virtual Library and Archive.

419 Article 10. Report of the Secret Committee; On the present State of Public Affairs; A Proposal for putting Reform to the Vote throughout the Kingdom. By the Hermit of Marlow, 511-52. Author: Robert Southey.

Running Title: Rise and Progress of Popular Disaffection.

Notes: In attributing the article to Southey, Shine cites JM III's Register; Cottle 242-43; Southey 360-61, 361n, 577; [reprinted in] Essays II 35[-107]; Gentleman's Magazine XXI 140; Seymour 173; and White 363, 393. Shine says to see also Southey 350; Warter III 62, 69; and Smiles II 40. 

The following evidence is published here for the first time. The article appears in Southey's definitive MS. list of his QR articles.

JM III's Register: attribution to Southey, but without evidence.