The Arcadian, a New Periodical Work, will appear for the first time on the 1st of March. A Small Volume of Poems in the press, to be entitled Sacred Lyrics. By James Edmestone. Mr. Nichols is preparing for publication a fourth volume of Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century. Mr. James Tyson has in the press Elements of the History of Civil Government; with an Account of the present State and distinguishing features of the Governments now in existence. Mr. W. Turner has in the press, in 3 vols. 8vo. a Journal of a Tour in Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land; with Excursions to the River Jordan, and along the banks of the Red Sea to Mount Sinai. Dr. Baron will soon publish in 4to. with engravings, Illustrations of some parts of his Enquiry respecting the Origin of Tubercles and Tumours. A New Edition of Dr. Bisset's History of the Reign of George III. continued to his Death, is in considerable forwardness. Mr. J. L. Bicknell, of Greenwich, will shortly publish a volume of Original Miscellanies in Prose and Verse. On the 1st May will be published the First Number of the Investigator, a Quarterly Journal and Review, intended to combine sound learning, and the various branches of polite literature, with an undeviating attention to the principles of pure and undefiled religion, and the best interests of society, without distinction of sect or party. Amongst other interesting articles this number will contain a Biographical Memoir of Robert Spear, Esq. formerly of Manchester and Mill-bank, Lancashire, but late of Edinburgh The Free Agency of Man compatible with the Divine Decrees-An Essay on the Agricultural pursuits of the Israelites-Recollections of a Tour to the Falls of the Clyde-Reflections of John Bradford the Martyr, from MS. notes in his preaching Bible-Review of Curran's, Philip's, and O'Regan's Life of Curran-Stillingfleet's Sermons-Campbell's Specimens of the British Poets-Hannah More's Moral Sketches-M'Crie's Life of Knox-An unpublished Poem of Henry Kirke White-American Literature and Intelligence-Anecdotes of the King, Lord Digby, &c.-Retrospect of Public affairs-Summary of Missionary Transactions; and a variety of Philanthropic, Literary, and other Intelligence, Foreign and Domestic. The Good Children, or Portraits of my Son and Daughter, with eight engravings, by Madame Reneville, will appear in a few days. The second and final volume of Mr. Morell's Studies in History, being the second of England, is in the press, and will be published next month, extending from the reign of James I. to the death of George III. Mr. T. Williams is preparing a Memoir of his late Majesty and the Duke of Kent, as a companion to those he published of the Queen and the Princess Charlotte. A Picturesque Tour from Geneva over Mount Simplon, to Milan, in one volume imperial octavo, is in preparation. This work, which cannot fail to claim the particular attention of the continental traveller, will contain thirty-six coloured engravings of the most interesting scenery in that romantic tract, and especially the most striking points of view in the new road over the Simplon. Mr. James Wilson has in the press, a Journal of two successive Tours upon the Continent, performed in the years 1816, 1817, and 1818; containing an account of the principal places in the South of France, of the great road over the Alps, and of the chief cities and most interesting parts of Italy; accompanied with occasional remarks, historical and critical. Mr. Foster, the much admired author of Essays on the Decision of Character, &c. has in the press, and will publish in a few weeks, an Essay on the Evils of Popular Ig. norance, in an octavo volume. Mr B. Hutchison, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, has in the press Illustrations of Cases of Tic Douloureux successfully treated. Mr. Gorham's History of St. Neot's, in a thick octavo volume, is expected to appear in the present month. ART. I. Sketch of a Tour in the Highlands of Scotland, through Perth- shire, Argyleshire, and Inverness-shire, in September and II. The Jacobite Relics of Scotland; being the Songs, Airs, and Legends of the Adherents to the House of Stuart, Col- III. Travels in Nubia. By the late JOHN LEWIS BURCKHARDT. Published by the Association for promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa......... IV. An Account of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia; including various Political Observations relating to them. By WILLIAM WILKINSON, Esq. late British Consul to the above mentioned Principality... V. A Memoir of Charles Louis Sand, including a Narrative of the Circumstances attending the Death of Augustus Von THE EDINBURGH MONTHLY REVIEW. MAY, 1820. ART. I. Sketch of a Tour in the Highlands of Scotland, through Perthshire, Argyleshire, and Inverness-shire, in September and October, 1818, with some account of the Caledonian Canal. London, Baldwin, 1819. Pp. 860. 8vo. THERE is a vulgar popularity attached at present to all that relates to the Highlands of Scotland, and it is therefore no wonder that an inordinate quantity of nonsense has been spoken and written concerning the scenery of that district, and the character of the people. For ourselves, we confess that we shrink from every book, pamphlet, or paragraph upon the subject, unwilling to find a country and a people, both excellent in their kind, injured by the mistaken admiration, or the ridiculous remarks of persons who have not the knowledge and the good taste necessary to think correctly of either. The book now before us has very small pretensions to notice in point of style and composition, but it has this rare commendation, that it seems to be written by a man of good sense and information. It is so singular an exception, in this respect, among the publications on the same subject, that we would not omit to bring it before our readers. The subject is truly one of considerable interest, and we are glad to enter upon it with a writer who does not offend us by ignorance or affectation. VOL. III. NO. IV. 2 N This sketch consists of observations on the various districts, which, as we gather from the title, (though it is not stated in any part of the work itself,) were visited by the author in the autumn of 1818. He seems to have felt that it is a common error in those tourists who assume to edify the public by their travels, to indulge in foolish and insipid accounts of their personal adventures. We know not to what else we can ascribe the singularity of his having written in a style so rigidly descriptive, that he has refrained from narrating any thing as to his journey. He has, throughout the whole work, indeed, adhered so strictly to a certain grave, impersonal style, that he has given no hint, as to the motives of his journey, his mode of travelling, or what befel him by the way. So little does the book partake of the character of those publications which pass under the title of tours, that it contains no direct or positive statement, that the author ever actually travelled by the route which is marked at the head of each chapter, or that he ever saw the objects which he has described. Nevertheless we have read the work with much pleasure, for if it does not interest us by any of the means which are ordinarily used, by the writers of such things, yet it abounds with much information, which is for the most part curious and interesting, and which, at any rate, is much more accurate than what we generally find in publications on subjects connected with the Highlands. The author has had the sagacity to borrow that which his own observation could not supply, towards completing his work, from books of respectable authority, though he has scarcely ever the good faith to acknowledge the source from whence his information is derived. A traveller who describes to us a particular part of our own kingdom, exposes himself to risks much greater than any to which those are liable, who bring before us the scenes of foreign countries. If he indulge in fanciful descriptions, he is sure to offend all who are acquainted with the subject, and, when it is so near home, these are likely to be a formidable majority of his readers. If his account of the manners of our countrymen be different from the notions of his readers, the chance is, that be will displease them altogether, for those who have formed their opinions from actual observation, will prefer their own judgment, and the others will not change them on his authority, when they may so easily satisfy themselves by a visit to the district. If he fail in those matters, which depend on his taste and his judg ment, it will be of little consequence how the rest of his work is composed; and we know of nothing that can save him from absolute failure, unless it be the interspersion of rare and curious |