“There is a great deal of vivacity and humour, as well as pathos, in these Stories; and they are told with a power of national character-painting, that could have only resulted from long residence in France, and from habits of social intimacy with the unsophisticated and country-part of the French community, with whom the English traveller seldom gives himself the trouble of getting acquainted.”—New Monthly Mag.
The LUCUBRATIONS of HUMPHREY RAVELIN, Esq. late Major in the * * * Regiment of Infantry. 2d Edition. Post 8vo. 8s. boards.
“The author’s remarks exhibit the frankness, acuteness, ease, and good-feeling, which we are proud to think, and pleased to say, so often belong to the character of the experienced British officer; while they are so well conveyed, and, in fact, with such particular correctness, that not only few military men have the opportunity of forming and maturing so good a style, but many of the practised writers must fall into the rear in competition with Major Ravelin, who must stand muster with Geoffry Crayon.”—Monthly Rev.
Footnotes
[1] This was the number of letters that passed through the Twopenny Post-Office on the 14th of February, 1821, in addition to the usual daily average.—See the official returns.
[2] There is poetical authority for this expression, but I believe no other:
“And weltering dies the primrose with his blood.”
Graham.
[3] “O’Connor’s Child; or the Flower of Love lies Bleeding.”
[4] I modestly propose, that the stoves lately introduced by Mr. Cobbett, and recommended in his Register, be henceforth known by no other than the above style and title:—Cobbett’s-Register Stoves. And if they are, it shall never be said that, anonymous as I am, I have lived or written in vain; for the next best thing to having a name, is the being able to give one, even to a fire-place. Let me add, for fear of being taxed with that meanest of all our mental propensities, the habit of joking at the expense of justice, that I offer the proposed name as any thing but a “nick” one. In fact, nothing but that change of climate which the Quarterly Reviewers have promised us can prevent Mr. Cobbett’s stoves from one day or other gaining him almost as sure a passport to immortality, as any other of his works.