The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 397, November 7, 1829Various
General
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 397, November 7, 1829
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
the vile and most vulgar pawings of such miserables as Messrs. Vivian
Grey and "The Roue"--creatures who betray in every page, which they
stuff full of Marquess and My Lady, that their own manners are as gross
as they make it their boast to show their morals. Hence, some two or
three pegs higher, and not more, are such very very fine scoundrels
as the Pelhams, &c.; shallow, watery-brained, ill-taught, effeminate
dandies--animals destitute apparently of one touch of real manhood,
or of real passion--cold, systematic, deliberate debauchees,
withal--seducers, God wot! and duellists, and, above all, philosophers!
How could any human being be gulled by such flimsy devices as these?
"These gentry form a sort of cross between the Theodorian breed of novel
and the Wardish--the extravagantly overrated--the heavy, imbecile,
pointless, but still well-written, sensible, and, we may even add, not
disagreeable, Tremaine and De Vere. The second of these books was a mere
_rifacimento_ of the first; and, fortunately for what remained of
his reputation, Mr. Robert Ward has made no third attempt. He has much
to answer for; _e.g._ if we were called upon to point out the most
disgusting abomination to be found in the whole range of contemporary
literature, we have no hesitation in saying we should feel it our duty
to lay our finger on the Bolingbroke-_Balaam_ of that last and
worst of an insufferable charlatan's productions."--_Devereux_.
* * * * *
BRUSSELS IN 1829.
For the education of youth of both sexes, Brussels is one of the best
stations on the continent, and is a good temporary residence for
Englishmen whose means are limited. The country is plentiful, and
consequently every article of living moderate. It is near England, the
government is mild, and there is no restraint in importing English
books, though their own press is any thing but free.
The population of Brussels is rated at nearly 100,000, of which
above 20,000 are paupers, supported by the government and voluntary
contributions. The population is rapidly increasing. The number of
foreigners in the winter of 1828 was between seven and eight thousand,
of which half the number were English. Many families settle for a
season, and take their flight south, or return home in June; but the
greatest number are stationary for the education of their children. An
English clergyman, formerly a teacher at Harrow, has an establishment
for boys, well conducted, and the expense does not exceed fifty guineas
a year. There are several seminaries for girls, also superintended by
Englishwomen, with French teachers. Masters in every department are
excellent, so that few places afford better schools for education.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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