1832.] Monthly Review of Literature. 59,5 



Our good wishes are at his service ; and the following quotation from one of the 

 shorter poems in the volume, will serve him we hope with our readers. 



THE MARINER'S SONG. 



" Sing joy sing joy ! as in canvass flight 



We skim the mountain seas. 

 Blithe o'er the clouds as the birds of light 

 When they c haunt their morning glees. 



The waves spring away from the breeze's lash, 



Like shades of the summer sky, 

 And wantonly frolic and gaily plash 



In their sportive extacy. 



On the snow-white steeds of the deep we ride, 



That so lightly, lightly prance ; 

 That sweep along with a conscious pride, 



And in glittering ranks advance. 



To the sound of music speed we on, 



To the ocean's mighty band ; 

 To the breeze's time keep unison, ., 



As though to a master's hand." 



* * * pp. 1589. 



ANNALS AND ANTIQUITIES OF RAJAST'HAN, OR THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN 

 RAJPOOT STATES OF INDIA. BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JAMES TOD, LATE 

 POLITICAL AGENT TO THE WESTERN RAJPOOT STATES. VOL. II. 



THIS great and important work is at length completed, and we have to congratu- 

 late the English public on perusing, in their own language, a complete History of 

 the Hindoo States. Colonel Tod was in many respects eminently well qualified 

 for the task which he has now fulfilled ; hut his long residence among the people, 

 and the high official situation he held, superadded advantages such as rarely meet 

 in the character of a historian. 



To this character, however, he cares little to aspire. He is only anxious to de- 

 scribe, justly and minutely, the interesting races to whom his work refers to dissi- 

 pate the ignorance and prejudices of Europeans and to exhibit distinctly the true 

 policy of the " Masters of India." With this rule in view, he does not sit down 

 to write a " History", but to communicate information. Like Herodotus, he presses 

 history, and tradition, and hear-say, and general knowledge, and travelling ex- 

 perience, and ad ventures, into the service ; and out of the whole he has succeeded in 

 producing a work, although bulky, and indeed somewhat alarming to look at, which 

 unites (owing to the peculiarities of the people and his mode of treating the subject) 

 all the truth of history with all the charms of romance. 



The Plates, twenty-three in number, besides being larger, are fully equal in 

 interest and execution to the finest of the " Annual" illustrations ; and to persons 

 who indulge their taste in this way, will take off at least two guineas from the price 

 of the volume. Altogether, in appearance, typography, and general " getting up," 

 this is one of the handsomest specimens we have seen of the race of literary Anaks. 



Unfortunately, however, it is now too late in the month to examine its volumi- 

 nous pages with the minuteness which would enable us to speak in more than 

 general terms. On another occasion we may do the work more justice. 



THE LIVES OF THE MOST EMINENT BRITISH PAINTERS, SCULPTORS, AND ARCHI- 

 TECTS. BY ALLAN CUNNINGHAM. VOL. V. FAMILY LIBRARY. No. 27. 



THIS volume is ere now in every body's hands, and it deserves to be so. Mr. 

 Cunningham appears to have set about his task con amore; and, as might have 

 been expected from a man of his talent under such circumstances, has produced a 

 work at once valuable and delightful. Extracts from so small, so cheap, and so 

 popular a work would be impertinent; and all, therefore, that it is necessary to say 

 of the present volume is, that it is quite as good as its predecessors. 



