1830.] The King's Own. 



pursuers, now precipitating his flight; while the air was thronged with its winged 

 tenants, wildly screaming, and occasionally dropping down dead with fear. To 

 crown the whole, high in the expanse a multitude of vultures appeared, almost 

 stationary on the wing, waiting for their share of the anticipated slaughter. And 

 as the beasts threw down and rolled over each other in their mad career the preyer 

 and the preyed upon, the powerful and the weak, the rapacious and the harmless, 

 the destroyer and his victims you might have fancied, from the universal terror 

 which prevailed, that it was a day of judgment to which the inhabitants had been 

 summoned." 



We may just allude, however, to the chapter on " Humbug," which 

 we anxiously recommend to the consideration of all the parties con- 

 cerned ; and what with the imposers and the imposed-on, we think that 

 nearly the whole of the town will be included. We should like to know 

 whether certain parts of this chapter are to be understood as developing 

 the political creed of the writer. If so, and if from the quarter-deck of 

 a man-of-war he should some day suddenly appear in the no less bois- 

 terous arena of St. Stephen's Chapel, he will, we doubt not, be considered 

 something more than an Admiralty automaton. 



We cannot conclude our remarks without exhorting the clever author 

 to abate some of his tendency to exaggeration ; his dramatic talent is 

 too genuine to need such forced aids. We might readily specify more 

 than one instance of caricature. We could also have wished that the 

 writer had more indulged in what may be termed incidental dialogue. 

 Through this medium the verisimilitude of the scene would have been 

 better preserved, and the stiffness of narrative would have been less 

 tedious. But we have received so much pleasure from the perusal of 

 " The Kings Own/' that we feel it would be ungracious to dwell upon 

 what appears to us to be its defects. 



A CAUTION TO ALL POETS, AND TO ONE IN PARTICULAR. * 



" Garth did not write his own Dispensary." 



POPE. 



IN an era when mortals but mystery see, 

 And no one can guess who his neighbour can be ; 

 When manuscript verses to poets are shown 

 Who approve and obligingly call them their own ; 

 When ladies write lyrics, and borrow the name 

 Of a popular friend, to ensure them from shame ; 

 I venture to lift up the visor at last, 

 And peep through the clouds that encircle the past. 



I speak not the language of madness or mirth 

 I *m the greatest anonymous author on earth ! 

 And having been silent and secret so long, 

 I intend to surprise the disciples of song. 

 Some thirty years since he'll remember the time 

 I sent off to Campbell a packet of rhyme. 

 The stanzas of Helicon bore the true twang, 

 And with magical music each syllable rang; 



A key to these lines is to be found in a recent and very remarkable statement. 

 It appears that a distinguished poet, on reading some stanzas by a lady who was doubtful of 

 the propriety of printing them in her own name, politely offered her the use of his. They 

 were printed accordingly, and we suppose were admired; for the lady has stepped forward 

 with her story, and claimed them. 



M. M. New Series. VOL. IX. No. 53. 4 D 



