"MoMtuly review or litkrature. "^Sd 



Yet there are a few nameless persons who object to maps and Hngei-posts in 

 literature — to all flimtrs that can be strewed upon its paths, and above all object 

 to an appropriate elegant binding being bestowed upon a valuable book ! As well 

 nniglit they pretend to loathe the sight of a beautiful woman elegantly and suit- 

 ably utlired! Does the sort ofbeing who has no fancy for these things — nothing 

 intellectual whatever to trouble him — think or suppose that he may not have his 

 dirty or ill-bound copy without the leave of Dr. Dibdin ? — Dolt ! — He is quite as 

 much at liberty to enjoy his folly and ifjnorance, as is the ill-manneied cub to 

 keep aloof from the precincts of female elegance and attraction! Advice and 

 guidance of any kind is useless to him who never travels out of Grub-street, and 

 who can find the way blind-fold to his own particular Hippocrene, the nearest 

 pot-house. The love of books is a glorious passion, and to justify it, there is no 

 occasion to contrast it with that for dogs and horses, even in a country where 

 every one may do as he will with his own. 



We advise the worthy Doctor to be less anxious about what is said of him by re- 

 viewers; he deals in that which is too elegant and subtle for their grasp, \i\sreadeis 

 are his best and most natural critics, and we otirselves confess that we can fiel a 

 proper description of him better than we could write it. In the work immediately 

 before us the author not only sustains his own amiable and communicative cha- 

 racter, but through the medium of a considerable correspondence gives us a most 

 discriminative view of the characters of a host of contemporary authors and col- 

 lectors of high taste and attainments. To most of these letters fac-simile auto- 

 graphs are attached, and the whole forms an imperishable record of worthy friend- 

 ships and literary ardour, in vain to be elsewhere sought for. 



In the Doctor's personal history, interesting as it is, we are at times surprised 

 at the simplicity with which (for the sake of truth) he relates a few incidents and 

 anecdotes somewhat derogatory to the dignity and eminence he has since attained, 

 but there are others, and much more numerous ones, of the most romantic cha- 

 racter and thrilling interest, showing at once his own warmth of heart and the re- 

 sponsive feelings of some of the brightest characters, living and deceased, for the 

 last thirty-five years. The whole is a " thing of life," " warm from the heart and 

 faithful to its fires!" If the history of a man's own ivorks and an account of tl e 

 virtuous associations arising therefrom, forms two closely printed volumes, be it 

 remembered that those very works form an epoch for antiquarian research, and 



the fine arts in general. We must now dismiss these vivid " Reminiscences" 



this storehouse for every man and woman of true taste, simply wishing they may 

 afford ihe reader that pleasure from a first perusal, which is strongly urgin<i- us 

 to a second on the part of our own. 



Edith of Glammis. By Cuthbert Clutterbuck, of Kennaquhair, 

 F.S.A., &c. &c. 3 vols. pp. about 900. Smith, Elder, and Co. 

 Cornhill. 



This is a work of no ordinary merit. The author — whose style of writing we 

 think very taking— of a Stirling kind, we mean— is evidently a scholar and a gen- 

 tleman. He tells us in his " preface" that it is many years since he appeared 

 before the reading public. We are delighted to be in the way to welcome his 

 second appearance. He will be good enough to attribute the non-appearance of 

 extracts from his clever book to the right cause — want of room. We have said 

 enough to direct the attention of the liieiary world to his Edith of Glammis: and 

 sure we are, that while works like this are sent forth there will be no lack of En^^- 

 lish readers. We could not say less than this. ° 



The Portfolio. Nos. 7, 8, 0, 10, 11, and 12. Ridgway and Sons. 



This pfriodical novelty goes on admirably well— all the early numbers have bre« 

 reprinted. The articles are very spirited. 

 M. M.— No. 3. X 



