Wayfaring Sketches among the Greeks and Turks, and on the Shores of the Danube. By a Seven Years' Resident in Greece. London: Chapman & Hall. THE reader will find that the title of this work furnishes a very correct indication of the matter it contains. It is the production of a lady, as we discover from some observations made in the volume, evidently a person who possesses, in a considerable degree, the power of observation and description, and can convey her thoughts in a vigorous, elegant, and pleasing style. After a lengthy, but far from tedious introduction, the reader is presented with some interesting sketches of Greece; and especially the ceremonies of the Greek Church during Easter week, are most graphically described. But we cannot take so favourable a view, as does the authoress, of the practices, or we should rather say, the superstitions of this ancient church. "Doubtless," says she, it is a question, how far it may not be injurious to the mind, that religious feelings should be roused, or impressions made, by means of any such outward ceremony; yet, in the case of the Greek people, I should imagine it would be productive only of good. Their faith, simple and child-like, honestly accepting all their church would have them believe, has, it must be owned, but little of a spiritual nature, at least as yet; and it may, therefore, be as well that their lively imaginations and quick feelings should be worked upon in this manner." Altogether, I think the impression left on the mind by these ceremonies cannot but be favourable to the Greeks and their church; surely more is said of their ignorance and superstition than is altogether just ?'' opportunity of showing what they felt, of which they took advantage rather amusingly. "One of the passengers on board of our steamer, passing the open door of the Mosque, saw me within, and supposing it to be one of the public sights, very coolly ascended the steps, and was about to walk in, never dreaming that any objection would be made either to himself or his dusty boots. Scarce did he appear composedly at the door, when a man who was sweeping the carpets, perceiving an unprotected individual, uttered a yell of rage, which elicited a simultaneous response from all present; then suddenly seizing hold of an immense long pole which stood near, I do believe for the very purpose, he ran frantically at the intruder with it, in the most ferocious manner, and so terrified and astonished the unfortunate man, that he started back and tumbled down the stairs, having just time to give vent to one wild Misericorde as he disappeared in a whirlwind of dust." There is much truth in the following remarks regarding the Turkish empire, which our authoress makes in connexion with her visit to Constantinople : The Turkish empire itself will soon be a dream-already is it gliding from the scale of nations, losing its distinctive characteristics day by day, and assuming that shadowy indistinctness, as the spirit of other countries steals on it from ail sides, which tells that, as a peculiar and separate people, it will soon belong to the past. This fact, daily becoming more glaring to all who even cursorily glance at the actual state of the Ottoman empire, is noways affected by the political fate which may ultimately cancel it from among the kingdoms of the earth. A country may change masters, losing even its name, and become merged in one more powerful, whether it be subdued by the force of arms, or handed over to a foreign yoke, by the diplomatic arrangements of those who have made it the toy of their own interest, but it may not the less in this position retain its individuality, if such a term may be usedthe character of the people remaining the same, and the spirit of the nation unquenched. "With Turkey it is very different; it has been the policy alike of all those great powers in whose hands it lies, and whose clashing interests alone have prevented its being long since assigned to one or the other, to undermine it gradually; into contact with the moral atmosphere of other countries, Leaving Greece, which had been the happy home of our authoress for several years, and to which she bade adieu with no small degree of regret, she sailed in the direction of Smyrna, calling at some of the islands in the Archi-effacing from it its peculiarities one by one, and bringing it pelago. Some time was spent in inspecting the objects of interest in Smyrna-the gate to the East. Among other places visited was the largest mosque in Smyrna, into which our authoress, after considerable pleading, and on condition that she would take off her shoes altogether, and not even replace them with slippers, was allowed to enter. "I then found myself in a vast building, divided into three parts, the vaulted roof of each one forming a separate dome. The two side compartments were reserved seemingly for the worshippers, and contained a considerable number of the faithful in the posture of prayer, their foreheads bent to the ground; that in the centre, to which a few steps descended, was quate empty, and entirely covered with those beautiful little carpets or much prized everywhere. On the roof, in a large circle of golden letters, were inscribed the seven names of Allah, and suspended from it, by a long chain, were innumerable little glass lamps, mingled with all sorts of fantastic ornaments, such as horses' tails, ostrich eggs, &c. In the direction of Mecca was a somewhat shabby representation of the Prophet's Tomb, and a kind of pulpit, from whence the Koran is daily read. My progress through the Mosque was slow, from the circumstance that, in spite of the proverbial difficulty of disturb ing a moslem at his devotions, every single individual no sooner saw me than he flew towards me, and insisted on my holding out my foot, that he might be quite sure no workmanship of a profance cobbler had desecrated the sacred ground. When satisfied on this score, there ensued, of course, a routine of a salaaming, which occupied some time. Even then they looked rather sulky at my audacity, though the presence of the Mollah, under whose protection I was there, prevented them from displaying their anger, They had soon, however, an under the ostensible motive of laudibly introducing civilisation and enlightenment; thus, it will soon matter little whether it holds its place on the map as a Russian province, or by any other name, as far as its own individual existence is concerned. It is the Turkish empire, with all its great and peculiar features, which is passing away; whose term of existence, leaving a wild and stirring page among the records of the earth, is expiring at last." And not the less just in her opinion of Mahomedanism, the religion at this moment of many millions of the human race. "Mahomedanism is hourly opening out into a new aspect before me; I had imagined it but a low, degraded creed, one of the numerous offsprings of prolific error and ignorance, which, as a substitute for the truth that has not yet dawned upon them, could not have a better or a worse effect in its moral influence, on the great multitude, than any other vain superstition; but, from the conversation of those whom I met here (Constantinople), and who are well qualified to judge, and from a closer view of its palpable working, not as seen in the history of past ages, but on the hearts and minds of the individuals with whom I am actually in contact every day, I cannot but think that it was originally a deeply-laid scheme, carried out with an almost fiend-like knowledge of the human heart, for enthralling the people by working solely on their evil passions. Most other religions, however much they may have fallen from their common origin in man's instinetive consciousness of the Supreme, have at least for their ultimate aim and end the moral improvement of man; wherear the system of Islamism would seem in every doctrine and chei every law to foster and bring forth their worst propensted, presenting even the heaven for which their purer spirit, an strive under images so earthly, that the very hope itse y esti grades them to the lowest level of mankind; and satisfying the conscience that goads their fallen nature to arise, with a few material and unmeaning observances, strong only in their strictness." The description of her visit to the Slave Market in Constantinople is most harrowing to the feelings, and calculated to awaken anew our indignation at the traffic in human beings. It is painful enough to think of this abominable traffic existing in Turkey; but how much more so is it to think that the same inhuman and horrid system still widely prevails in the United States of America-in a country professedly Christian, and that glories in being pre-eminently the land of the free. We insert two extracts from the account given of the Slave Market :"Presently the slave trader to whom the poor creatures belonged came up, followed by a tall phlegmatic-looking Turk, with the unmeaning features and coarse corpulency which are so characteristic of his nation. The merchant advanced, and, seizing one of the slaves by the arm, forced her to stand up before this personage, who, it appeared, wished to buy her. He looked at her for a few minutes from head to foot, while her master descanted on her merits; then he placed one hand on the back of the neck, whilst he jerked her head rudely with the other, so as to force her to open her mouth, that he might examine her teeth; he roughly handled her neck and arms, to ascertain if the flesh were firm; and, in short, the examination was such that I do not hesitate to declare I have seen a horse or a dog more tenderly treated, under similar circumstances." "Our guide led us into the adjoining enclosure. Here we became witness to a sale that was just about to be completed. A most interesting group presented itself before us; two young female slaves, both with most pleasing countenances, stood together closely embraced, the arm of the one round the neck of the other; their attitude, as well as the strong likeness between them, pointing them out at once as sisters. By their side was an African slave-dealer, in whose ferocious countenance it seemed impossible to discern a trace of human feeling. He was armed with a large heavy stick, with which he drove them to and fro, literally like a herd of animals. Three or four Turks were discussing, with considerable animation, the price of one of the women; but the bargain had been struck just before we came in, and one of the party, a stout good-looking man, was paying down the money. When this was completed, with an imperious movement of the hand, he motioned to his newly-purchased slave to follow him. It was the youngest and most timid of the two sisters whom he had selected. Nothing could have been more painful than to watch the intense, the terrified anxiety with which both had followed the progress of the sale; and now it was concluded, and they knew that the moment of separation was arrived. She whose fate had been sealed, disengaged herself, and turning round, placed her two hands on her sister's shoulders, with a firm grasp, and gazed into her eyes. Not words, not tears, could have expressed one-half of the mute, unutterable despair that dwelt in that long, heart-rending gaze. It were hard to say which face was most eloquent of misery; but the Turk was impatient; he clapped his hands together. This was a well-known signal. A slight tremor shook the frame of the young slave; her arms fell powerless at her side; and she turned to follow her master. The voiceless but agonized farewell was over. In another moment we could just distinguish her slender figure threading its way through the crowd, in company with the other slaves belonging to the Turk. Her sister had hid herself behind her companions, and now sat on the ground, her head sunk upon her folded arms." We cannot follow our authoress in her departure from Constantinople, and in her voyage up the Danube; but the reader will find sketches of the more important towns and localities along this river, and interesting descriptions of the majestic and glorious Danube itself. With another extract from this entertaining and instructive volume, we conclude our notice. "And now at last we finally parted company with this most noble river (the Danube). It seemed to us almost as though we were called on to bid farewell to a familiar friend, after so many weeks that we had trusted ourselves to its guidance, and made it a part of our daily existence." We had followed its course since the first moment when, plunging and tossing in the midst of that dark, angry sea, our little vessel had suddenly met with a yet stronger resistance, and we were told to mark, in the discolouration of the water, how the proud Danube invaded even the stormy Euxine; then we had entered upon it in its intensity of solitude, when it seems like a great mourner, with its sky-like pall, and its shroud of mists, and its deadly vapours floating on the dull air, as though it called them up to deter all human beings from intruding on its dreamy loneliness; and gradually we had seen the sleeping Nature awake on its lifeless banks, and throw over them a veil of summer green and wreaths of flowers; and then, like an enchanter, whilst its growing loveliness stole on us unawares, it led us on from scene to scene of quiet beauty, till, home for ever." among the blooming hills of Orsova, we could have made our The Book of Poetry. London: James Burns. Is a collection of poems and ballads, selected carefully, and got up in the style that distinguishes this publisher's works, in which we recognise many pieces from authors of acknowledged merit. Poems. By Spencer T. Hall. London: W. S. Orr & Co. A TINY Volume of poems about woods, trees, fields, and country cottages, written in a very pleasing spirit, by one who wants to do and think the best with and for everything. Mr. Spencer Hall is a poet of Sherwood Forest, and believes in Robin Hood heartily, as a forester is surely bound to do. His poetry is of this style :"Little old hamlet! Dearly do I love thee, Thy cluster of grey homes and gardens green, And woodland waving solemnly above thee, With hooded well and muttering rill between, And children gambolling round housewife clean, Or patriarch, sunning at his open door, And reading news, from many a distant scene, To gathering gossips, who admire his lore, Thinking each fresh event more strange than all before." The little volume is so full of kindly thoughts, that we cannot help wishing for it a kind reception. Poems and Songs. By Davis, the "Belfast Man." Belfast: John Henderson. THIS title is bad for a poet-it looks rather like that of a pugilist-but the "Belfast Man" is a poet, nevertheless. His poems and songs are principally reprints from journals. He is, we believe, one of the Spirit-of-the Nation writers, and not the worst. He has necessarily a considerable tinge of that school, though not so savage, by any means, as certain of his fellow-labourers, but quite as deeply impressed with the idea th tIreland is very badly treated; and, instead of hoping in hard steady labour for national greatness, like his friends, he has faith in a poetical idea We think it quite possible that this school can do Ireland considerable harm, and almost impossible that it will ever do that country good. There are many practical grievances there requiring to be amended, but that will never be done by wasting good poetry on bad politics. We much like the following song, which has probably ap peared elsewhere: "WEAVER'S SONG. "On merrily speeds the shuttle, boys, For richer far adorn us now— I CANNOT hear where thou art dwelling now; 'Tis seldom that I ever hear thy name; Grief since I met thee may have seared thy brow, Or it may still be fair, yet not the same. But when I now recall thy countenance, And think upon thy deep and thoughtful eye, 'Tis as when first I met its thrilling glance, Tho' years since then, even years have fleeted by. Pale as the winding-sheet in which they wound thee, Yet why should I mourn; 'tis not now for me I watched it as it faded, night by night, Wert all to me, but must be nothing now. I never knew a murmur, nor a tone A sound that came when nothing else was there, And must I now forget thee-was it wrong I write not now as I have done before, POLITICAL REGISTER. In law-making, as in travelling, it is well to be five minutes fast. PARLIAMENT stands prorogued to the 11th current, and it was pretty generally believed, that, on account of the circumstances of the country, the There is the Currency Question-the grand Session would then commence. The publication question of the year. We know that on it a comof authority to the Bank of England to break mittee of inquiry will be moved for at an early through the Bank Charter Act has been consi- date; but the nation cannot wait on a commttee dered a reason for postponing the opening of the | now. The information has been collected out of Session by others. We cannot say to which set doors, and every man has systematically arranged of guessers the merit of accuracy belongs. If the it for himself. Even for the assemblage of ParParliament be to assemble for legislative purposes liament-for the first, second, and third readin cight or ten days, the intention should be well ings-for Peel's defence of his blunder-the known cre this time; and we shall not be surprised people would not wait, or rather, bills of Exif the Government prefer the indiscreet course of change would not abide the convenience of proroguing again. They have already incurred bills of Parliament. Even the stroke by which the necessity for an indemnity bill, and we do not the Government assumed--and very properly blame them on that account. They should have assumed for the time-legislative functions is stood in need of that indemnity bill six weeks or given with a nervous hand, as if the executwo months ago; but they should remain under tioner was performing the last sad duty of the the necessity for the shortest possible time. They law upon an old and neighbourly acquaintance. have been compelled to act technically wrong, but they should put themselves even technically right with the utmost convenient speed; and the earliest day the Parliament may meet is not in January next. The period of its meeting is not of quite so much importance as the work it may be disposed to do. The House of Commons is largely composed of new men, and men of great promise. They have all offered so much that the community will be anxious to see how their bills may be honoured. We may state our fears that, if left to themselves, they will, like their predecessors, talk loudly at the beginning of the session, and part at its close, with a resolution of amendment for the time to come. It cannot be denied that Parliaments work hard when they are in extremity; towards the close of a session they go through business like a railway clerk five minutes before the train is to start. And there is anotlier extremity when their activity is remarkable. Measures are resisted until they can no longer be evaded, and then are passed in an incomplete and careless style. No time is left to wait a month before the representatives of the people in good earnest begin to work. We verily believe that the ballot will be legalised some day with that rapidity which infers an immediate demand. It would be more decorous if business could be managed with a little more consideration-not quite so much as has been given to the Health of Towns' Bill, which has been in the way for half a dozen years, and should be put out of it directly; but, if possible, measures of improvement could be adopted a little before the last hour to which they can be delayed. The Legislature should not resemble that class of travellers who always get to the coach-office as the guard's foot is on the steps of the coach, or to the station-house when the last bell has rung -pay their fare, and a shilling over by mistake, are grumbled at, bundled into a corner, and are morally certain to lose a hat-box or an umbrella. There is so much work to do that Parliament should begin early. Ireland must have a Land Occupancy Bill. Matters there are getting into inextricable confusion, because that has not been provided; and honest persons who sell their property to pay their debts are, we see, here and there, in that country, murdered. With one small section of the community the payment of debts is reckoned a mortal crime, and has been mortally avenged. We believe them to be a very small section, but resistance to the payment of rent seems to embrace a greater number of persons. There are next two dropped bills-the Sale of Irish Encumbered Estates, and the Irish Waste Land-greatly needed. The repeal of the Game Laws, or such a tax on preserves as will suppress them, must be got forward. The Entail Laws are standing in the way of everything, except deer forests, and sheepwalks, which thrive under them. Free-trade in land, like free-trade in money, is an essential to national prosperity-and with us, indeed, in our position, it is essential to the avoidance of national misery. THE BANK CHARTER ACT.-The list of great insolvencies during the last month is terrific. In one week, five English banks stopped their payments. On one Saturday, nearly five thousand artizans were put on warning in Liverpool. On that Saturday, scarcely one-half of the operatives in cotton at Manchester were in full employment. In all the other Lancashire towns, business was at least equally bad. Deputation after deputation had waited on the Ministers during the week to request some movement to stay the plague, but the Ministry still adhered pertinaciously to Peel's bill. On the Saturday to which we have referred, however, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had a long interview with Sir Robert Pecl. On the following day-so urgent seemed the business-it is reported that the Cabinet met, and early on Monday the public were informed that Peel's bill was abandoned. And of much suffering, past and present, and yet to come, a great triumph has been wrought. The bill which, three years ago, was described as the great panacea for panics, has been tried, condemned, and cashiered. This bill was advertised as the complete money measure. It was the Morrison's pill of all commercial distress. Like Mr. Grimstone's Egyptian Pea to the vegetable world, this bill, if it could have done what its sponsor promised on its account, would have been to the commercial world treasure found. We admit freely, that Mr. Grimstone's Pea, which is a reality, has its action of libel for comparing it to this sham. And yet Peel's bill is not more a sham than a sheet anchor slung from a shallop under pretence of pulling it up, which would inevitably pull it down. The letter of suspension is so important that, although it has been published in every newspaper, we insert it here as a record of progress :Downing Street, October 25, 1847. "Gentlemen,-Her Majesty's Government have seen, with the deepest regret, the pressure which has existed for some weeks upon the commercial interests of the country, and that this pressure has been aggravated by a want of that conadence which is necessary for carrying on the ordinary dealings of trade. "They have been in hopes that the check given to transactions of a speculative character, the transfer of capital from other countries, the influx of bullion, and the feeling which a knowledge of these circumstances might have been expected to produce, would have removed the prevailing distrust. They were encouraged in this expectation by the speedy cessation of a similar state of feeling in the month of April last. "These hopes have, however, been disappointed, and her Majesty's Government have come to the conclusion that the time has arrived when they ought to attempt, by some extraor dinary and temporary measure, to restore confidence to the mercantile and manufacturing community. "For this purpose, they recommend to the Directors of the Bank of England, in the present emergency, to enlarge the amount of their discounts and advances, upon approved security; but that, in order to retain this operation within reasonable limits, a high rate of interest should be charged. In present circumstances, they would suggest that the rate of interest should not be less than 8 per cent. "If this course should lead to any infringement of the existing law, her Majesty's Government will be prepared to propose to Parliament, on its meeting, a Bill of Indemnity. They will rely upon the discretion of the directors to reduce, as soon as possible, the amount of their notes, if any extraordinary issues should take place, within the limits pre scribed by law. "Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that any extra profit derived from this measure should be carried to the account of the public, but the precise mode of doing so must be left to future arrangement. Her Majesty's Government are not insensible to the evil of any departure from the law which has placed the currency of this country upon a sound basis; but they feel confident that, in the present circumstances, the measure which they have proposed may be safely adopted; and that, at the same time, the main provisions of that law, and the vital principle of preserving the convertibility of the bank note, may be firmly maintained. "We have the honour to be, Gentlemen, "The Governor and Deputy-Governor of "Bank of England, October 25, 1847. "Gentlemen,-We have the honour to acknowledge your "Resolved, That this Court do accede to the recommenda tion contained in the letter from the first Lord of the Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, dated this day, and addressed to the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England, which has just been read. "That the minimuin rate of discount on bills not having more than ninety-five days to run be eight per cent. "That advances be made on Bills of Exchange, on Stock, Exchequer Bills, and other approved securities, in sums of not less than £2,000, and for periods to be fixed by the governors, at the rate of eight per cent. per annum.” The business should be less tragical, and then we could have a hearty laugh. But mirth is improper here. One might as well indulge at the blunders of a grave-digger and his man, in the place of tombs, during a funeral. Here is the political grave-digger and his man, Sir Charles - decently and decorously shuffling the earth over this Bank Charter Act, and all the time speaking such words, as if they really thought it a creature that once had a soul, and would rise again. It's quite enough to make one's flesh creep with superstitious agony to hear such a phenomenon once named, even amongst the bones of abandoned and detested bills. The measure was meant to cure panics or to prevent them. It has neither done the one nor the other; and, therefore, is useless for the avowed purpose of its framers, and for the public interest it has been, and it will yet be, ruinous. Men's deeds do not die with them, and the conse quences of bad bills outlive for long the laws themselves. The country will not recover its lost confidence, and business will not attain a condition of unruffled composure for many months to come. There is an extraordinary fact, to which, we trust, the attention of English readers will be directed. Money on loans, with the best security, is eight per cent. in London, but commonly higher rates are paid. Money in Glasgow, on ordinary business bills, is six and a half or seven per cent. One half of the cotton spinners of Lancashire have been idle for some time. None of the cotton Five spinners of Glasgow are idle yet. English banks have failed in a single week. None of the Scotch banks are even suspected. These are facts, and from them the deductions are easily ascertained. The last whine of the men of mattock and of pick, concerns "the vital principle"-the convertibility of bank notes. That convertibility, being the dependant and henchman of public credit and confidence, depends upon the legislature. We need scarcely repeat here that absolute convertibility does not exist, and sufficient convertibility will not long "consist," with money at eight per cent. PRINTED BY GEORGE TROUP, 29, DUNLOP STREET, GLASGOW. |