Knights of the Round Table, doubly interesting as are the subjects which ornament the records of their chivalric acts. We are, indeed, compelled to take French leave of them altogether, in order to introduce our readers to the great Greek luminary of Strasbourg, or rather of Germany, the ELDER SCHWEIGHAUSER, to see whom Mr. Dibdin was induced to make a détour to Baden, where he was staying at that time for the benefit of the waters. "In this celebrated Greek scholar, and editor of the most difficult ancient Greek authors," says Mr. Dibdin, “I beheld a figure advanced in years, somewhere about seventy-three-tall, slim, but upright, and firm upon his legs: with a thin, and, at first view, severe countenancebut when animated by conversation, and accompanied by a clear and melodious voice, agreeable, and inviting to discourse." It is almost a matter of course that a person of great and varied acquirements should be utterly free from affectation. Accordingly Mr. Dibdin represents this venerable scholar as uniting the utmost simplicity of manners with the profoundest information. He pointed out a private walk, within a long avenue of trees, branching from the public mall, where was a small fountain playing in the midst of a grove of elm and beech; and observed that he loved to retire there, in order to read Thomson. He quoted Pope, and declared his particular attachment to Young and Akenside. When asked what he thought of Shakspeare and Milton, he replied, "They are, doubtless, very great, and superior to either; but if I were to say I understood them as well, I should say what would be an untruth; and nothing is more disgusting than an affectation of knowing what you have comparatively very little knowledge of." What a lesson for dabblers in criticism and readers of reviews! He said that he was first put upon collations of Greek MSS. by our Dr. Musgrave, for his edition of "Euripides ;" and that he dated from that circumstance his first and early love of classical research. This attachment had increased upon him as he became older; had "grown with his growth, and strengthened with his strength," and had induced him to grapple with the unsettled, and in parts difficult texts of Oppian, Epictetus, and Athenæus. He spoke with a modest confidence of his Herodotus, just published; said that he was even then meditating a second Latin version of it, and observed, that for the more perfect execution of the one now before the public, he had prepared himself by a diligent perusal of the purer Latin historians. The classical literature of our own country is, we believe, under recent obligations to this eminent scholar, for the assistance he has lent to the new Greek Thesaurus, publishing under the spirited direction of Mr. Valpy; a work, for the success of which the venerable Schweighæuser, whilst he expressed his approbation of its execution, uttered his wishes with an earnest zeal, that must surely be responded by all among our own countrymen, who are patriotic enough to take a pride in such productions as the Thesaurus and the Delphin Classics, on a plan, the magnitude and expense of which no individual but one of the most extended views, and the utmost liberality of mind, would have ventured upon, and which assuredly no other country except our own would have

been found willing or indeed able sufficiently to reward. Mr. Dibden quitted Baden, or Baden-Baden as it is emphatically called, with many regrets; and strongly recommends its varied attractions to both young and old, as capable of affording equal pleasure to either. The dulness of Stuttgart appears duller from contrasting it with the animation and loveliness of the scenes so lately left; but in the public library all comparisons are forgotten-our bibliographer once more riots among illuminated MSS. block-books, and fifteeners, and sets all his energies to work, to accomplish an exchange between Lord Spencer and his Majesty of Wirtemberg, of certain curious Bibles, for two editions of Virgil in 1471, which negotiation he finally settles in a manner highly creditable to his diplomatic abilities.

From the Monastery of St. Peter, at Salzburg, Mr. Dibdin was recommended to visit that of Chremsminster, in the route to Lintz, through a country of mountains and lakes, on the high road to Vienna. The courteous manners, and information of the brethren of Chremsminster, it is delightful even to read of. The conversation was all carried on in Latin; but urbanity is an excellent interpreter: none of the parties appears to have been in want of any other. The magnificent St. Florian, and the finely situated Monastery of Malk, were the next halting-places, both most interestingly described. At the latter place our author was strongly advised to take the Monastery of Göttwic in his way to Vienna. He had never heard of it; but its library contains incunabula of the most curious and scarce kind." Behold him at its gates! but alas! the librarian, Odilo Klama, was from home; not a creature was to be found, and he was dejectedly pacing the cloisters, when his servant announced to him that the vice-principal would receive him, and conduct him to the head or president.

"The principal, whose name is Altmann," says Mr. Dibdin, "was attired in a sort of half-dignity dress; a gold chain and cross hung upon his breast, and a black silk cap covered his head. A gown, and what seemed to be a cassock, covered his body. He had the complete air of a gentleman, and might have turned his fiftieth year. His countenance bespoke equal intelligence and benevolence; but, alas! not a word of French could he speak, and Latin was therefore necessarily resorted to by all parties. I entreated him to forgive all defects of composition and of pronunciation, at which he smiled graciously. The vice-principal then bowed to the abbot, and retreated; but not before I had observed them to whisper apart, and to make gesticulations, which I augured to portend something in the shape of providing refreshment, if not dinner. My suspicion was quickly confirmed: for, on the vice-principal quitting the apartment, the abbot observed to me, You will necessarily partake of our dinner, which is usually at one o'clock, but which I have postponed till three, in order that I may conduct you over the monastery, and show you what is worthy of observation. You have made a long journey hither, and must not be disappointed.' This courteous address was followed by an interesting conversation on the situation of the monastery, and the vicissitudes to which it had

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been exposed. Look on the prospect around you,' said the abbot: it is unbounded. On yon opposite wooded heights, on the other side of the Danube, we all saw, from these very windows, the fire and smoke of the advanced guard of the French army, in contest with the Austrians, upon Bonaparte's first advance towards Vienna. The French emperor himself took possession of this monastery. He slept here, and we entertained him, the next day, with the best déjeuné à la fourchette which we could afford. He seemed well satisfied with his reception; but I own that I was glad when he left us. Strangers to arms, in this tranquil retreat, and visited only, as you may now visit us, for the purpose of peaceful hospitality, it agitated us extremely to come in contact with warriors and chieftains.-Observe yonder,' continued the abbot: Do you notice an old castle in the distance, to the left, situated almost upon the very banks of the Danube? That castle, so tradition reports, once held your Richard the First, when he was detained a prisoner by Leopold, Marquis of Austria, on his return from the Holy Land.' The more the abbot spoke, and the more I continued to gaze around, the more I fancied myself treading upon faery ground, and that the scene in which I was engaged partook of the illusion of romance."-At the door of the library three or four Benedictines, for this famous convent is of the order of St. Benedict," were apparently waiting to receive us. They first saluted the abbot very respectfully, and then myself, with a degree of cheerfulness almost amounting to familiarity. In a remote and strange place, of such a character, nothing is more encouraging than such a reception." The library is probably the richest in bibliographical lore in Austria, after that of Vienna; but we must, for the present, content ourselves with what in such company may scarcely be considered less "the feast of reason," which is exhibited to us in the dinner-saloon. "It was a large, light, and lofty room. The ceiling was covered with paintings of allegorical subjects in fresco, descriptive of the advantages of piety and learning..... We sat down at the high table, precisely as you may remember it in the halls at Oxford, to a plentiful and even elegant repast. The principal did me the honour of placing me at his right hand. Grace was no sooner said than Mr. Lewis made his appearance, and seemed to eye the scene before him with mingled delight and astonishment. had, in fact, just completed his sketch of the monastery, and seemed well satisfied at seeing me in such quarters, and so well occupied. The brethren were well pleased to receive him, but first begged to have a glance at the drawing, with which they were highly gratified.

He

"My companion having joined the festive board, the conversation and the cups of Rhenish wine seemed equally to circulate without restraint. We were cheerful even to loud mirth; and the smallness of the party compared with the size of the hall, caused the sounds of our voices to be reverberated from every quarter. Meantime the sun threw his radiant beams across a window of noble dimensions, quite across the saloon, so as to keep us in shadow, and illuminate the other parts of the room. Thus we were cool, but

the day without had begun to be sultry. Behind me, or rather between the abbot and myself, stood a grave, sedate, and inflexiblelooking attendant, of large square dimensions, habited in a black gown, which scarcely reached the skirts of his coat. He spoke not; he moved not, save when he saw my glass emptied, which, without any previous notice or permission, he made a scrupulous point of filling even to the very brim, with the most highly-flavoured Rhenish wine which I had yet tasted in Germany. Our glasses being almost of the size of ale-glasses, it behoved me to cast an attentive eye on this replenishing process; and I told the worthy master that we should be quickly revelling in our cups. He assured me that the wine, although good, was weak, but begged that I would consider myself at liberty to act as I pleased. In due time the cloth was cleared, and a dessert, consisting chiefly of delicious peaches, succeeded. A new order of bottles was introduced; tall, square, and capacious; which were said to contain wine of the same quality, but of a more delicate flavour. It proved indeed to be most exquisite. The past labours of the day, together with the growing heat, had given a relish to every thing which I tasted; and in the full flow of my spirits I proposed a sentiment, which I trusted would be considered as perfectly orthodox, 'Long life and happy times to the present members, and increasing prosperity to the monastery of Göttwic.' It was received and drunk with enthusiasm..... I then requested that we might withdraw, as the hours were flying away, and we proposed sleeping within one stage of Vienna, on that same evening. Your wishes shall be mine,' answered the abbot. Whereupon he rose, with all the company, and stepping some few paces backwards, placed his hands across his breast upon the gold cross, half closed his eyes, and said grace briefly and softly, in a manner the most impressive which I had ever witnessed."-The whole party then proceeded forth to view the church and the state apartments. The abbot, with a kindness and elegance of manner that added to the worth of the gift, pressed upon Mr. Dibdin's acceptance a copy of the "Chronicon Göttwicense," a treasure to the antiquary, of which it is probable there are not four copies in this. kingdom. "The courtesy, the frankness, the downright heartiness of feeling with which all this was done, added to the value of the present, rendered it one of the most delightful moments of my existence. I instinctively caught the abbot's arm, pressed his hand with a cordial warmth between both of mine, and pausing one little moment, exclaimed, Dies hic omninò commemoratione dignus.' "On quitting the church and passing through the last court, or smaller quadrangle, we came to the outer walls; and leaving them, we discerned below, the horses, carriage, and valet, waiting to reOur amiable host and his Benedictine brethren determined to walk a little way down the hill, to see us fairly seated, and ready to start. I entreated and remonstrated that this might not be, but in vain. On reaching the carriage, we all shook hands very cordially together; but certainly I pressed those of the abbot more earnestly than the rest. We then saluted by uncovering, and stepping into the carriage, I held aloft the first volume of the

ceive us.

'Göttwic Chronicle,' exclaiming Valete, domini eruditissimi, dies hic commemoratione dignus; to which the abbot replied, with peculiarly emphatic sonorousness of voice, Vale; Deus te, omnesque tibi charissimos conservet. They then stopped for a moment, as the horses began to be put in motion; and retracing their steps up the hill, towards the outer gate of the monastery, disappeared. I thought, but it might not be so, that I discerned the abbot, at the distance of some two hundred yards, yet lingering alone, with his right arm raised, and shaking it as the last and most affectionate token of farewell. And now I ask you, my dear friend, how is it possible for me ever to forget this day of joyaunce' spent at the Monastery of Göttwic? Nulla dies unquam, &c.'

And now we, also, will say, Valete domini eruditissimi! But we should be guilty of great injustice towards Mr. Lewis, did we close our remarks without observing, that the volumes which have given rise to them owe half their attractions to his pencil; which by a happy and rare combination of talent brings every thing that Mr. Dibdin describes as most interesting, immediately before the eye of the reader; whether it pertain to the peculiarities of costume, the interest of portrait, the fidelity of fac-similes, the beauty of romantic landscape, or the imposing characteristics of ancient architecture.

GRIMM'S GHOST. LETTER III.

THE Annual Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Artists, at Somerset House, is just closed. So are the Courts of Law at Westminster, to make way for the ceremony of the King's Coronation; but they will not long be reopened before a curious subject of litigation will, in all probability, exercise the ingenuity of the gentlemen of the long robe. Let the defendant's solicitor tell his own story.

THE ARTISTS' LETTER-BOX.

Case, for the opinion of Mr. Serjeant SPLIT-HAIR.

The artists who exhibit their pictures annually at the Royal Academy at Somerset House, situate in the parish of Saint Mary-leStrand, in the county of Middlesex, are, by a by-law of the committee, entitled to receive letters upon professional business, whether by the general or twopenny post, free of postage. This privilege, in process of time, became the source of considerable abuse. Communications of the most trivial and unprofessional affairs were, through the medium of the Lombard-street office, opened between Somerset House and all parts of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. One-pound notes to miniature painters from sweethearts at Bath and Bristol; bills for turpentine and canvas from Manchester to gentlemen in the historical line; how-d'ye-do's from aunts at Whitby; and dunning scrawls from unpaid bathers at Margate and Brighton, were, like the operation of the poor-rates upon the landholders, gradually undermining the funds of the committee.

To check this growing evil, the committee on the 1st of May, 1820, entered into the following resolution: