MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 437 



in the felicity of his poetic language, the force of his poetic maxims, and 

 the pungency of his poetic wit. Yet the fragments given by Spence fully 

 bear out the character of his most familiar intercourse, as exhibiting fre- 

 quent keenness of remark and knowlege of human nature : but Spence 

 was not a Boswell ; and if he had hung on the lips of Johnson instead of 

 those of Pope, his indolence, dulness, and verbiage might have defrauded 

 the great conversationist of half his fame." 



The illustrations are of a superior order to the general run of frontis- 

 pieces. There is a sweet vignette view of Twickenham ; and the Rape of 

 the Lock has been finely and chastely managed by Mr. Witherington and 

 Mr. Warren. The Sylphs look indeed like aerial creatures an effect 

 difficult to produce on steel. 



The getting up of the work is perfect, both as regards printing, paper, 

 and binding; and it will form a worthy companion to the illustrated series 

 which have preceded it. 



The Pilgrims of Walsingham. By Miss STRICKLAND. 3 vols. 

 Saunders and Otley, London. 



"The Pilgrims of Walsingham!" and who are they? Let them 

 describe themselves, for they can have no better interpreters. 



" It was with feelings of absolute envy that the Emperor regarded the 

 happy Brandon, on whose shoulder the royal Mary leaned in the fond 

 familiarity of wedded love, while she employed herself in inscribing on 

 her tablets, from King Henry's dictation, the following names : 



" King Henry, queen Catherine, the emperor Charles, Mary queen- 

 dowager of France, and duchess of Suffolk, Charles Brandon, duke of 

 Suffolk, cardinal Wolsey, archbishop of York, Sir Thomas Wyatt, page 

 to his grace the king, and Mistress Anne Boleyn, maid of honour to the 

 queen. ' Eight persons in all/ pursued she, looking up, ' to travel without 

 pomp or state to the shrine of our blessed Lady at Walsingham, in pil- 

 grims' weeds, mounted on sober steeds, and demeaning themselves dis- 

 creetly and meekly to other pilgrims, whom they may encounter at 

 hostels, ferry-houses, or convents, by the way-side ; not boastfully assert- 

 ing their own rights of royalty or nobility, to obtain precedency and 

 worship from those who may not otherwise be disposed to yield it to 

 them ; but preserving an inviolate secresy as to their real names and qua- 

 lity, until they reach the chapel of our blessed Ladye of Walsingham, 

 whose grace may we all obtain. Amen/ 



" 'Thou hast indited it like a cunning clerk, Marie,' said the king, 

 smiling graciously on his best loved sister, ' and now will I set my sign 

 manual to thy brief, in token that it pleaseth me well ; and one scripture 

 text will I add, for the edification and observance of our fellow-pilgrims, 

 all of whom I request to lay the same to heart.' Then taking the tablets 

 from the hand of the fair writer, he headed the left, which contained the 

 names of the pilgrims elect, with the following admonition from Joseph to 

 his brethren : 



' See ye fall not out by the way! ' " 

 A very " goodly company," and in the words of Chaucer, 



" Methinket it accordant to reson, 

 To tellen you alle the condition, 

 Of eche of hem, as it served me, 

 And which they weren, and of what degre, 

 And eke in what araie that they were inne." 



Accordingly Miss Strickland gives us a very slight but a very masterly 

 sketch of these distinguished historical characters, and relates naturally 

 the why and the how of their pilgrimage. The passion of Wyatt for 



