598 



Monthly Review of Literature, 



[Nov. 



feuds. The young did not always shr\re 

 the exasperations and enmities of the 

 elders ; and the records of Bologna pre- 

 sent the counterpart of the Capuletsand 

 Montagues of Verona. A Gieremei and 

 a Lambertazzi unhappily and perversely 

 fell in love with each other, and indulged 

 in stolen interviews. The fiery bro- 

 thers of Imilda discovered the inter- 

 course, and broke in upon the fond pair. 

 The lover was dispatched with poisoned 

 daggers the lady fled, but returned 

 when all was quiet, tracked the body by 

 the blood-drops, sucked the venom from 

 the wound, and perished self-devoted. 

 The painful tale affords opportunities 

 for a scene or two of passion, which are 

 happily seized, and spiritedly executed : 

 She yet might be in time to save, 

 Or share where'er might be his grave ; 

 And guided but by the blood-drops strewn 

 Along the paths, she hurried on, 

 The fire of madness was in her brain, 

 And in her heart its scorching pain 

 While following still each gory trace, 

 She came at length to a desert place, 

 A court-yard, long unused, and there 

 God help her now in her wild despair! 

 There lay her murdered love ! one bound, 

 And she was at his side, and wound 

 Gently her pale arms round the form 

 Stretched lifeless there it yet was warm! 

 And with frantic energy she unbound 

 The garments from his breast, and found 

 A gaping wound, from whose blackening hue 

 At the first shuddering glance, she knew 

 Was wrought by poison ; then, then the 



whole 



Of woman's deep faith rushed o'er her soul I 

 That poisoned wound to her lips she prest 

 To suck the venom forth still blest, 

 If by her own life's sacrifice, 

 Light yet might gleam o'er his rayless eyes. 

 In vain! in vain ! there came no breath 

 Back to the lips fast closed in death ; 

 And her's soon, soon grew parched and wan, 

 As the poison through every vein quick ran ; 

 Faint, and more faint, her breathing grew, 

 And her cheek wore a livid hue, 

 And the strange light in her glassy eye 

 Was struck by cold mortality. 

 From her failing limbs the strength soon past, 

 And she sunk, 'neath the shadow of Death, 

 at last. 



The tale occupies but a small portion of 

 the volume. That is eked out with a 

 number of occasional pieces all of them 

 indicative of deep but painful feeling 

 distinguished for directness of thought, 

 and more independence of manner than 

 usually accompanies similar scraps. 



The Book of Scotland, by William Cham- 

 lers This is really something like what 

 a book should be full of information 

 and that upon topics in which thousands, 

 if they have not a direct interest as 

 they have not perhaps in nine-tenths of 

 Avhat they concern themselves about 

 have yet an indirect one, in marking the 



influence of public institutions upon a 

 large integral portion of the nation, and 

 at least in the indulgence of a liberal 

 curiosity. The subjects are neither new 

 nor strange, but we know not where a 

 general view of them can be got at at 

 all, and certainly no where so completely 

 and so satisfactorily as in Mr. Chambers' 

 book. A similar volume for every coun- 

 try in Europe would be a welcome ac- 

 quisition, but one that is all but hope- 

 less. Mr. Chambers has well considered 

 his subject, and attempts nothing but 

 what he shews himself perfectly com- 

 petent to accomplish. He is perhaps 

 something too discussive, where little 

 more than description and statement 

 were required ; but in general, the reader 

 will readily excuse what, while it seems 

 occasionally to interrupt, often eventu- 

 ally adds to his information. 



The Scotch government before the 

 Union, and the changes which took place 

 on that event, are distinctly and learn- 

 edly stated his acquaintance with the 

 times is obvious. The local adminis- 

 tration and municipal institutions fol- 

 low, with the courts of judicature, civil 

 and criminal. The more prominent and 

 peculiar laws and usages are then ex- 

 hibitedsuch as relate to debtor and 

 creditor, landlord and tenant, master 

 and servant, the game laws, marriage, 

 management of the poor, the licensing 

 system, customs of heritable and move- 

 able property, entails, registration, &c. 

 Then follow the important topics of the 

 Scotch church, schools, banking system, 

 &c., every one of which numerous sub- 

 jects involves matters of comparison 

 with English practice, and also of dis- 

 cussion. We have no space for parti- 

 culars: but the chapter on the subject 

 of pauperism perhaps struck us more 

 remarkable, for the ability with which it 

 is stated and discussed, than any other. 

 The poor laws of Scotland are pretty 

 much of the same nature with those of 

 England, and have existed from nearly 

 about the same period, but they were 

 not so early, nor have they been so ge- 

 nerally, enforced. Compulsory assess- 

 ments, however, now pervade half the 

 parishes of Scotland ; and as those are 

 precisely the most populous districts, of 

 course but a small portion of Scotland 

 can any longer boast of independence of 

 poor laws. The career 01 pauperism 

 has been rapid in Scotland. In addition 

 to the common causes which perhaps in- 

 evitably exist in the progress of luxury, 

 the separation of classes has precipi- 

 tated the matter brought about by pe- 

 culiarities in Scotland more traceable 

 and definable than elsewhere. 



The withdrawal of the rich from the poor can 

 be referred in this country, with great accuracy, 

 to the invention of building new towns at certain 



