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"Realities and Imaginations," and "The Naval Christmas Dinner,” have just been received. We have only had time to glance, in the most hurried manner, over the former of these articles; and, if we may form an opinion from such a galloping perusal, we would say, that it appears to be better suited to our purpose than some former papers from the same able pen. It will make part of our "realities and imaginations" for next month. "The Christmas Naval Dinner" must also, contrary to all usage in such cases, be eaten in January.

If M. A. would only affix D. to his present signature, the description would be perfect.

As to Phrenologic Faith, we are rank heretics-that is confessed and notorious! But we can honestly aver, that our scepticism is the result, not of prejudice, habit, or education, but of candid and dispassionate enquiry. We think, however, that every novelty broached in Philosophy, however absurd primâ facie, is entitled to careful and It is by following error to its consequences that we ultimately diligent examination. succeed in discovering the path that conducts to truth. For this reason we have thrown overboard the drivelling and stingless thing called " Memoirs of the Bump Society of Edinburgh," not forgetting, at the same time, to caution the Bump-kin of an author to eschew diligently the sight of a Phrenologist, who, we are convinced, would, with a single coup d'oeil, detect the organ of Individuality strongly developed in the head of his enemy; an organ which is said to "contribute to superficial knowledge," and which" is conversant with facts, but does not trace their relations."

The Paper" On the Modern Greeks," announced in our Notices for last month, is necessarily postponed. The truth is, it is too learned, and theoretical, and wants adaptation to the existing circumstances of Greece. We have, therefore, returned it to the author for revision. It is a great error in a writer to think more of himself than of We trust our friend will his subject, and of displaying his erudition and research, than of conveying useful and practical information in a pleasant and attractive form. attend to this. We have, in our time, paid some attention to Grecian Literature and Antiquities, and to the political condition and feelings of the modern Greeks; and we are free to confess our conviction that the Greeks are in no condition at present, and without eign aid, to effect their emancipation from the Othman yoke. We ground this opinion chiefly on the facts and statements of Dodwell and other travellers. the same time, we are still totally without authentic intelligence as to the Greek Insurrection; the proclamations of Prince Ipsilandi being singularly mysterious, and conveying no information whatever, as to the prospects of his country, except that the heads of his countrymen are parting from their shoulders with singular alacrity. It is some consolation, however, to reflect, that in this country, men of all parties and creeds unite in one generous wish for the deliverance and regeneration of the long oppressed, but highly acute, imaginative, and interesting people of Greece.

At

We hope "Theologos" will excuse us for declining to enter on the subject of “Sunday Schools." He has surely been in a crusty humour when he read, in a certain religious publication, some strictures on our review of Dr Chalmers. The writer, indeed, undertakes to confute us, which is probably not quite so light a task as he appears to imagine; but, on the other hand, he states his own opinions, with so much fairness and liberality, and in such a proper temper of mind, that it would be the very height and wantonness of a wrangling disposition to seek to disturb them. Let it be once proved that any system is attended with practical good, and we are satisfied.

We have recently, by the kindness of an esteemed friend, been put in possession of part of an original, and hitherto unpublished, correspondence between Robert Some prudence is necessary as to the manBurns and his friend Mr William Nicol. ner in which we shall use this valuable deposit, which appears to have escaped the reWe have not yet been able to come to any detersearch of the Relique Hunters. mination. Part of these Letters may, probably, appear in our January Number.

<X Y. Z." asks us why we won't insert his lucubrations, seeing, as he asserts, that we publish articles much worse? We will give a direct answer to the question :we have declined all his communications, first, because such is our sovereign will and pleasure!—and, secondly, because they are stark nonsense!

"Elegy, the Blackbird," and " By the light of the Moon," will meet with all due

consideration.

The Review of Dr Chalmers's "Christian and Civic Economy of Large Torens" is again neccessarily postponed. The notice of Howison's Travels in Upper Canada, must likewise stand over till a future opportunity. We hope to be able to make up our lee-way in our next.

It won't do, Higi.-We are sorry for it-and for "Miss AL”

Two Dromios, by Jupiter! Two votaries of the Nine, with the signature X. Y. Z. which we take to be Dutch for "Ecce, my Wise Head !" To the first of these name. sakes we have already told a bit of our mind, and have to inform the second, who describes himself as 66 a NOVUS among poets," and quotes Horace's" Epistols" for our use and benefit, that his unbaptized poem is so good that we doubt its being original. We trust, however, that, the Attorney General of the tuneful sisterhood will not be so cruel as to indite Dromio Secundus for the reset of stolen goods.

"Napoleon's Grave" will remain undisturbed, and undesecrated by us. If celebrated in verse by a bard equal to the theme, Napoleon must take his place beside Milton's Satan; and none but Milton could have painted Milton's Devil.

The Song by V., “Air, It was a' for our rightfu' king," will likely appear in our next. We know the hand, and, what is more, have a partiality to see it as often as possible. We think, however, the author's vocation is more decidedly to the humorous than the airy or pathetic.

"The Maid of Barwoodlee" shows a practised hand. It is neat, simple, and natural-and-what will be thought more to the point-it shall appear in the Scots Magazine, which gives it a fair chance for immortality.

"Francesca of Rimini," translated from Dante's Inferno, Canto V. is executed in a very creditable manner indeed. The Spanish piece, from the original of Don José Cadalso, is quite delightful, and will appear as soon as we can make room for it. We have our doubts as to "Francesca of Rimini." Has the ingenious translator ever seen Cary's Dante? It is no joke to travel the same ground with that accomplished and great master of poetical expression--whose translation indicates powers second only to the original. However, nous verrons.

J. D. has our thanks for "Copy of a paper found in the Repositories of a person lately deceased, giving an account of the Siege by the Pretender, against Edinburgh Castle," which is in retentis.

“Philosophus” will perceive that he has been anticipated. One of our men-at-arms has come forth, armed cap-à-pié, to encounter the "LONDON." The issue of the contest is not doubtful. Greater impudence, ignorance, vanity, and dogmatism, than R., the writer of the "Popular Retrospect," displays, could hardly have been bundled together into the composition of one poor mortal. "Philosophus" suggests that it is of Edinburgh parentage. He is wrong. No Scotchman would commit himself so rashly, or write such pitiful trash on the subject of Metaphysics. People here think before they write. Besides, our nationality would fain lead us to believe, that a native of this ancient kingdom would never have attempted to vilify the great ornaments of our Literature and Philosophy, or to speak of the most eloquent writer and profound scholar of his day, with a degree of vindictive virulence, the more remarkable and astonishing, as it manifests personal hatred to a Great Man, who, we formerly believed, had found an admirer in every one who had learned to read, and had not a personal enemy on earth. At all events, we shall teach the Bibliopolic Editor of the "LONDON" to have a care how he foists into his pages popular or unpopular "Retrospects" of the Literature and Science of this portion of the United Empire, and how he lends his publication to circulate calumny, absurdity, and nonsense. Let the author of the "Popular Retrospect" read the splendid and profound account of Mr Stewart's Dissertation in the forthcoming Edinburgh Review, and then hide his diminished head.

We are happy to learn that we shall hear again from the author of the “ Adventure in Athens." Let him, in future, be more merciful, and not murder his characters so unceremoniously. He talks of this too irreverently. Has he ever been among the Osmanlees? He should recollect, that, in this country, it is not such a trifle as in Turkey, to infringe the sixth commandment.

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A multiplicity of engagements has hitherto prevented us from dipping into "Recollections of a Journey from Kandy by the way of Adam Peak." We shall do so soon, and probably lay before our readers some portion of this Journal.

"The Highland Hymeneal" is really too warm in the colouring. The author knows we admire the productions of his pen, and therefore must give us credit for expressing an honest opinion, when we assure him, that from those of Cowley, downwards, we hate the whole tribe of Pindarics; and though Gray's Odes may seem at first to form an exception to this sweeping condemnation, we are convinced, that, on second thoughts, our friend will agree with us in thinking, that, of all Gray's productions, his Pindaric Odes are the least known, and certainly the least relished. The reader of an English Pindaric Ode, and of a Lake Poet, is like the Dove sent forth from the Ark of old; he wanders over an immense expanse of floating material, and can find no green tree or mountain top on which to rest his weary feet. His brain is all in a whirl. He finds not the agreeable and simple varieties of nature, but the useless and grotesque caricatures of a Phantasmagoria. Modern languages are not susceptible of sufficient concentration and compression to render the Pindaric Ode sublime: and from the sublime to the ridiculous is only a step.--We are not here chronicling the faults of our friend's performance, but stating the defects inseparable from the species of composition which he has attempted. We should, in the capacity in which we act, deserve to be marooned did we not honestly express our opinions respecting the productions of our personal friends, as well as respecting those with whose authors we are wholly unacquainted.

The

"A Constant Reader" has favoured us with his advice, which we take in very good part, because it is obviously well intended; although, in our turn, we would recommend it to him to be in future a little more accurate with respect to facts. "Monody in the near prospect of death," so far from being thought "of too sombre a cast for the generality of readers," was actually inserted in our September number, nearly in the state in which we received it, and where the author will find it at p. 238. We still think that this production indicates both genius and feeling, and we have often, in private, warmly eulogized the tribute, contained in the first four or five stanzas, to the memory of the sweet but unfortunate poet of Lochleven. Is the author now satisfied? Our Literary Notices for this month were printed before we received his note, containing a request, which shall meet due attention in our next.

It would be doing great injustice to our own feelings, no less than to our most ingenious and accomplished correspondent, were we not, most particularly and earnestly, to call the public attention to a poem in this Number, entitled " MARIUS AMIDST THE RUINS OF CARTHAGE;" the finest specimen, perhaps, of poetical power and genius, which has yet adorned our pages.

By some accident, which we are puzzled to account for, the remainder of " Fairy Legends" escaped our notice till too late to appear this month.

We have been favoured with various 'communications both from "constant" and inconstant "readers," giving us advice gratis, for the right conducting of this work. Of course, we are in duty bound to say we are grateful for the ultronious monitions of these worthy persons; and we say so accordingly. We would only subjoin, that the most effectual mode of advising us for our benefit, is by transmitting us able and clever contributions.