as in any other. But this excuse is the last resort of those who have no better argument to offer. To hear the frequency and the pertinacity with which this excuse is urged, whenever India is mentioned, one would think, not merely that it was a country in some other planet, where the very elements were different from those in this, but that it was inhabited by a race of beings so entirely different from all that had ever yet been seen or heard of, that no rule which was applicable to any other country was at all applicable to that. Is despotism and oppression said to be less desirable than freedom and justice? This is granted, even by the Government of India. But then, it is added, the rules necessary to diminish the one and increase the other are not " applicable" to the " anomalous" nature of our rule in India. There is no answering such an assertion as this for if the nature of that rule be so " anomalous" as that the truths universally recognized elsewhere cease to be truths when attempted to be uttered there; then there is at once an end to all reasoning about the matter, and books and pamphlets, speeches and letters, upon a subject to which no ordinary rules of action apply, are so much waste time and labour, and had better not be written or delivered. But it is not so: and the only reason why this subterfuge is resorted to by the panegyrists of power is, that there is no better argument (if this can deserve the name) to be offered.

The writer says, however, that in India " the inhabitants are so numerous as to press upon the means of subsistence;" in other words, that sufficient food is not grown in the country to feed its inhabitants. But colonization, instead of increasing, would diminish this evil. It is not the actual number of people in any one country that constitutes a redundant population, but the proportion which that number bears to the quantity of food obtainable for their support. In the year 1700, England had a population of less than six millions. It is now at least twelve millions. But, though the island has not increased in size since then, the population is not more redundant, compared with the means of subsistence now, than it was when only half its present numerical amount. Every class, indeed, except the very lowest, possess more wealth, and live in much greater luxury than the same description of persons did a century ago. The increase of the population has, therefore, been considered an increase of national wealth and strength, to which the temporary distress of those employed in certain branches of manufacture now wanting employment, forms but a very partial exception. In England, to a surface of thirty-six millions of statute acres there are twelve millions of people, or three acres of surface for each individual. In Ireland, to a surface of about twenty-four millions of statute acres, there are six millions of people, or four acres of surface to each individual. But notwithstanding the extreme fertility of Ireland, the population of that country is much more redundant, as compared with the means of subsistence, than the population of England, though in the one country there are four acres, and in the other only three, to each

individual. And for what reason? Because of the inferior cultivation of the lands; the low standard of food, almost entirely vegetable, and of the worst sort-potatoes; the continued drawing away of the wealth of the country for expenditure in England, and the universal poverty of all classes resident in the country. Ireland, in short, is little better than a colony, a dependency, an appanage of England, the great mass of its population without political rights, and almost in a state of continual want and misery from its population "pressing upon the means of subsistence." But no one ever thought of preventing Englishmen from going to settle there because of that, any more than they would think of preventing a Highlander from visiting London, or an Irishman from settling in Liverpool or Manchester, because in these great cities there was already a redundant population. On the contrary, all authorities agree, that the very best thing which could happen for Ireland would be the colonization of that country by English gentlemen of fortune, who would reside in the country, and cultivate their farms in a better manner; by merchants of capital, who would establish large manufactories, and by such addition to the wealth and intelligence of the country as should furnish occupation and diffuse the means of raising the people from their present degraded condition, always on the brink of famine whenever their potatoe crops fail them, to a level with more thickly peopled, but still more wealthy and happy England.

The very circumstance urged by the 'Civil Servant' as an objection to colonization, namely, that "the population of India already presses upon the means of subsistence" is therefore one of the strongest reasons in favour of colonization; because, the wealth and improvement which this would introduce into the country, would immediately increase the means of subsistence, and relieve the people from the very pressure of which he complains. He contends, indeed, that they are already" sufficiently advanced in knowledge and civilization to be capable of acquiring, through their own application, all the arts and sciences by which their physical and intellectual condition may be improved; " and then he argues that there is no necessity, as far as they are concerned, for colonization. But the best proof of their not being sufficiently advanced in this knowledge is, that they labour under the evil which such knowledge would most effectually remove. Their population presses upon the means of subsistence; in other words, they live not merely in perpetual poverty, but in continual apprehension of famine; they are exactly in the condition of the people of Ireland, except that they feed on rice instead of potatoes, and the same remedies that would relieve the one would relieve the other. Each would be greatly benefited by the settlement of more wealthy and intelligent men among them, to give them models and materials, on which "their capacity to acquire through their own application" the arts, sciences, &c., might be exercised; and subsistence while they were acquiring the means of improving" their physical and intellectual condition." As to the necessity for improvement, it must always exist as long as there is

any thing to be improved. When a nation, like China for instance, arrives at the conviction that she alone is civilized, and all the rest of the world barbarous; that there is no useful knowledge which the people of other countries can impart to the inhabitants of her own, then, indeed, she may shut the gates of her cities in the face of all visitors, as they do at Canton and Pekin. Whether the example of China be worthy of adoption in this respect, is a question on which people may differ. But this at least may be admitted, that if the exclusion of foreigners be a wise policy, and if the country which admits the fewest strangers flourishes the most, then, to benefit India to the full, the Honourable Company and all its servants should be expelled from Hindoostan. If they, however, remain, and contend that they benefit the country in so doing; by the same rule, an equal number of English colonists, who would take wealth into the country instead of bringing it away, would be likely to benefit it still more. The author, indeed, says, that "the local Government in India possesses, and must continue to possess, the power of despotic legislation." This latter branch of the sentence we deny there is no inevitable necessity for such continuance. It is just as permanent as the "eternal friendship" which is pledged in political treaties between nations that hate each other with the most deadly hatred; but not at all more lasting. It may, like that, be destroyed whenever the parties desiring it feel strong enough to set it aside; and we trust we shall yet live to see the day when this will happen, for despotism is a monster which every lover of his species should rejoice to assist in hunting down and driving from the face of the earth.

:

SONG.

LOVE has been a guest, dear,
Long in yonder dome;
Shall he, shall he rest there
Still, and find a home?

Shall he cease to wander,

Like the restless wave,
Following the meander

Of winding creek or cave?

Shall he, free from sorrow,
On that bosom still
Slumber sweet, to-morrow,
Dreaming not of ill?

No! with torch reversed, love,

See, he steals away!

His part is all rehearsed, love,
Why should he longer stay?

'THE WANDERER OF SCANDINAVIA.'

AMONG Our contemporary poets, a great many appear to aim at nothing beyond the praise of being agreeable romance-writers in verse. The ' Lady of the Lake,' the Excursion,' Christabelle,' and Roderic the last of the Goths,' though more or less poetical, according to the degree of fancy possessed by their respective writers, are mere romances, or novels versified. There is not sufficient invention, imagination, or art, in any one of them to entitle its author to the name of poet, in the highest sense of the word, though they undoubtedly bear the marks of genius upon them, and have features godlike though unfinished. Authors of far inferior powers have followed in the track of Sir Walter Scott and Southey, and produced metrical romances deserving of considerable praise. Miss Landon, Mrs. Hemans, and Miss Hatfield, ought certainly to be enumerated among these; the first two have acquired at least as much reputation as they deserve; the last must depend for her share upon the Wanderer of Scandinavia.' We suspect, however, that her fame will be much slower of circulation than that of Miss Landon, which was spread like wild-fire in a moment, by the Aristarchus of the Literary Gazette,' who discovered in the Improvisatrice' the genius of Sappho or Corinna. Persons who buy and read such books, consider that Journal in the light of an oracle; and hearing it prognosticate "glory," "immortality," and what not, to the writer of that poem, took it for granted a Phoenix had arisen, and flocked away to wonder at it. But, notwithstanding this critic's praises, Miss Landon is a very clever young lady, and now and then writes very agreeable poetry; as all readers of fashionable periodicals already know. The authoress of the Wanderer of Scandinavia' appears likewise to possess considerable ability, and to deserve to be both known and encouraged by the public.

Her work is a metrical romance. Its subject is the patriotism and success of Gustavus Vasa, the hero of Sweden; a subject which has already employed the pen of several writers, both in verse and prose. Old Dekker wrote a play entitled Gustavus, King of Swethland,' which was never printed; and a Mr. Brooke likewise composed a tragedy, about 1739, of which Gustavus was the hero. Mr. Dimond, too, as late as 1810, brought an opera on the stage, entitled 'Gustavus Vasa,' which was nothing more than an alteration of his own historical play of the Hero of the North.' Still,

The Wanderer of Scandinavia; or Sweden Delivered,' in five cantos, and Other Poems. By Sibella Elizabeth Hatfield, 2 vols. London-Truro. 1826.

the actions of Gustavus might be regarded as territory unoccupied by the muse; for whatever might have been written on them was almost thoroughly forgotten. Miss Hatfield had therefore a fair field before her; but, perhaps, she should not have chosen so difficult and trying a task to begin with. More humble adventures, and a narrower scene, might, probably, have suited better the turn of her mind, which, we think, ought never to have led her to attempt the almost inaccessible heights of the epic. The events of history should never be touched by the poet, unless he can raise and embellish them; and we fear that very few among our contemporaries could make the adventures of Gustavus appear as interesting in verse as they do in the prose of Vertot. To describe such events with becoming dignity would demand profound historical and political knowledge, added to a powerful imagination, great insight into the human heart, and exquisite skill in painting and contrasting character. Such qualifications are not to be looked for in a young lady, and could not, perhaps, be found in any poet living. Byron was not possessed of them. The utmost therefore that can be expected, in a work like the one before us, is an interesting story, and agreeable description; and these, we think, the reader will find in this poem.

Even

It begins with the confinement of Gustavus in the Castle of Calo, in North Jutland, whither Christiern, the tyrant of Denmark, and a sanguinary priest, repair in disguise to prevail on Eric Baner, the Lord of that castle, to assassinate Gustavus. Their design is discovered by Baner's daughter, who communicates the knowledge of it to the Swede, and liberates him from prison. He escapes entirely from the Danish dominions, and enters Sweden, after attempting, without success, to rouse the people of Lubec in his favour. In Sweden he is not more fortunate; the greater number of those to whom he addresses himself refuse to aid him in his designs, and some even attempt to betray him into the hands of the enemy. He contrives, however, to defeat the treachery of his countrymen and the cruelty of his enemies, and arrives in disguise in the mountains of Dalecarlia, where for some time he works as a common labourer among the miners. In this condition he is discovered by a Dalecarlian gentleman, who at first seems to enter into his views, but afterwards endeavours to betray him to the Danes. Gustavus escapes by the assistance of the traitor's wife, and takes shelter in the house of an obscure curate, whither he is conducted by the improbable agency of Eric Baner's daughter, who is awkardly brought to Dalecarlia expressly for the purpose. The curate conceals the hero from the Danes, and concerts with him the most judicious schemes for the liberation of their country. Upon this, Gustavus repairs to the village of Mora, where the Dalecarlian miners were assembled to celebrate some rustic festival, and harangues them with all his eloquence to rouse their indigna