524 



News from Parnassus. .. No. FII. 



[July J, 



is |>erliaps the best kiud of deal kuowu 

 or used in Europe ; the hitter, beyond 

 doubt, among the worst ; a better 

 proof for which cannot be assigned, than 

 the fact, that it is peculiarly subject to 

 the diy rot. 



Hitherio we have not discovered in 

 the larch any symptoms of that de- 

 structive malady: but piobably our 

 experience of that precious wood, on 

 that important point, and as to its ad- 

 vantages or disadvantages, has not yet 

 l)eeu sufficienlly long or extensive. A 

 moist close and foul air seems to be the 

 native climate of the diy rot in the 

 timber used for the construction of 

 houses iind of ships; on which account 

 our most experienced builders are care- 

 ful to leave no lioilows or cracks which 

 may enclose air in the beams or planks 

 to be converted. 



The larch, contrary to the fir, will suc- 

 seed upon a poor soil, in its actual state, 

 unfit either for corn crops, or to be con- 

 verted into pastures ; in short, never 

 likely to repay the expence of either of 

 those purposes. We have found the 

 expences of this plantation not to ex- 

 seed fourscore and tea fra>ics per Scotch 

 acre, including thecharge of ditch and 

 bank for the inclostu'e. 



lu the moimtainouscantons, the shel- 

 ter afforded by these plantations to the 

 flocks and herds th.ere fed, may become 

 an object of the greatest importance. 



In ornamental gardens of a certain 

 extent, few forest trees are nuire shewy 

 and beaiitifnl than the larch ; its long 

 and pendant interior branches, extend- 

 ing over the green turf, produce a most 

 elegant and picturesque eiVect. 



Theeulogiuni, wx- trust, will be par- 

 doned, which we have bestowed upon 

 this precious tree, for we have for.ud 

 by experience, that for sale, for utility 

 in theconstructionofall kinds of biiild- 

 ings, and for the embellishment and 

 shelter it affords to gloomy and sombre 

 regions, its worth is almost inestimable; 

 that it mclioiates the soil, and pro- 

 duces pasturage upon lands apparently 

 condemned by nature to barrenness. 

 In fine, we continue to make an annual 

 extension in tlie phiutation of this our 

 favourite tree. 



*^* A most importaiit application of larch 

 timber has been made within these few 

 years. lu consequence <<f the failure of a 

 fir-biiilt hai-bour-bars^e, at Dundee, one of 

 larch has been constructed and substituted; 

 and after a number of years' wear, it has 

 proved perfectly sound. In consequence of 

 this trial, several boats have been built of 



larch, as preferable to oak for lig^htnees in 

 rowing' and buoyancy In the water, and to 

 Baltic or American fir for durability. The 

 experiment is also making in England, of 

 building the Athol, of 26 guns, with Scotch 

 larch ; should it succeed, the Duke of 

 Athol's extensive estates, and those gene- 

 rally of the northern proprietors, will be 

 immensely increased in value, larch having 

 been long the prevailing timber in the plan- 

 tations of Scotland. 



For the Montldi) Magazine. 



NEWS FROM PARNASSUS. 



No. VII. 



MARINO FALIERO, DOGE OF VENICE; 

 BV LORD EVttON. 



THIS work is worthy of the genius 

 of its author. — It has reaiizetl all 

 the anticipations to which his previous 

 efforts could fairly give rise. — Whiit 

 might have been expected from him, 

 he has done : and, considering the stan- 

 dard of reputation, up to Avhich he is 

 now compelled to write, this is suffi- 

 cient praise. We never heard that 

 much promise of dramatic genius was 

 attributed to him. The character of 

 his poetrjf and the qualities of his mind, 

 never appeared to us to possess the es- 

 sential ingredients of success in that 

 most difficult of all departments of let- 

 ters. Perha])s, in some respects, his 

 talents are of quite au opposite order. 



Yet his play is a po\verful and noble 

 work, built for fame and futurity. It 

 conveys no disparagement to say that 

 it never could succeed upon the stage. 

 We believe it never was intended for it. 

 The boards of Drury Lane will not echo 

 long the imprecations of the Doge. — 

 No one but Kean ougtit to have uttered 

 them — He would have acted the part in 

 the spirit in which it was written ; and 

 the force of two such minds concentrated 

 in a single character, would have car- 

 ried the public approbation by storm, 

 even though all the rest of the play hatl 

 been reduced to a dead letter. 



The plot of this play has no claim to 

 novelty. It is formed upon the old 

 machinery of a conspirac}', which by 

 the persevering adoption of successive 

 playwriglits. has been well nigh worn 

 out. We have, as usual, a cool calcu- 

 lating steadjr conspirator, urged on by 

 a fiery bloodthirsty ruffian, and beti'ay- 

 ed by an xmdetermined remorseful 

 companion. In these points, it coin- 

 cides with the fenice Preseived of Ot- 

 way ; and Lord Byron has been accused 

 of imitation. With the exception of 

 the incidents in the plot, which are his- 

 torical and inseparable from the sub- 

 ject. 



