2 in general ignorance,-an ignorance which it is not within the scope of the principal Journals to enlighten. Under those impressions, some individuals, well acquainted with the general course of polite and philosophical learning, advantageously situated for obtaining valuable information, and altogether free from the influence of Party or Publishers, have determined on producing a New Review, to be entitled THE UNIVERSAL REVIEW, or Chronicle of the Literature of all Nations. In POLITICS, honouring the wisdom of their ancestors, they will be the abettors neither of change nor of corruption. Their principles are Constitutional and National. In RELIGION, not less honouring the holiness and sincerity of the Founders of the Established Church, they will respect conscientious differences of opinion. In CRITICISM, they will not indulge in Essay-writing. General views and abstracts of the more important classes of knowledge will be given from time to time,—an original feature, which they contemplate as of peculiar utility to the student. To meet the rapidity of modern publication, the Review will appear every TWO MONTHS: a portion of each Number being set apart for foreign works. The price of the Number will be Five Shillings: thus bringing the annual subscription close to the level of the other Reviews. In this mode, every work of the year, that can be conceived to be of any value, will be described within the year; the purpose of the UNIVERSAL REVIEW being altogether to give that sufficient and immediate knowledge of books, which may enable the student, the collector, and the general reader, to decide at once how far they may gratify their tastes, or assist their studies and opinions. The first Number will be published in March, 1824, by G. & W. B. WHITTAKER, Ave-Maria-Lane, London, and WAUGH & INNES, Edinburgh. Letters and Communications, &c. to be forwarded to G. & W. B. THE EDINBURGH REVIEW. No. LXXVIII. ARTICLES I. AND IX. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, No. 17, PRINCE'S STREET, EDINBURGH; To whom Communications (post paid) may be addressed. SOLD ALSO BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. JAMES BALLANTYNE & CO. PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. BLACKWOOD'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. No LXXXVI. MARCH, 1824. 66 LETTER FROM A FIRST-FLOOR LODGER." "AN Englishman's house is his castle”—I grant it ; but, for his lodging, a comparison remains to be found. An Englishman's house may be his castle; but that can only be where he consents to keep the whole of it. Of all earthly alliances and partnerships into which mortal man is capable of being trepanned, that which induces two interests to place themselves within four walls, is decidedly the most unholy. It so happens that, throughout my life, I have had occasion only for half a house, and, from motives of economy, have been unwilling to pay rent for a whole one; but-there can be, on earth, I find, no resting-place for him who is so unhappy as to want only" half a house!" In the course of the last eight years, I have occupied one hundred and forty-three different lodgings, running the gauntlet twice through all London and Westminster, and, oftener than I can remember, the "out-parishes" through! As two " moves" are as bad as a fire, it follows that I have gone 71 times and a half through the horrors of conflagration! And, in every place where I have lived, it has been my fate to be domiciled with a monster! But my voice shall be heard, as a voice upon the housetop, crying out until I find relief. I have been ten days already in the abode that I now write from, so I can't, in reason, look to stay more than three or four more. I hear people talk of "the grave" as a lodging (at worst) that a man is "sure of;" but, if there VOL. XV. re VOL. XV. be one resurrection-man alive when I die, as sure as quarter-day, I shall be taken up again. The first trial I endured when I came to London, was making the tour of all the boarding-houses-being deluded, I believe, seriatim, by every prescriptive form of "advertisements." First, I was tried by the pretence modest-this appeared in The Times all the year round. "Desirable circle" Airy situation"- "Limited number of guests"-Every attention”—and no children.” 66 Next, was the commanding-at the very "head and front" of The Morning Post. "Vicinity of the fashionable squares !"-" Two persons, to increase society"- -" Family of condition" and "Terms, at Mr Sams's, the bookseller's." Then came the irresistible. " Widow of an officer of rank"- Unprotected early in life"-" Desirous to extend family circle"- "Flatters herself," &c. Moonshine all together! "Desirable circle"-A bank clerk, and five daughters who wanted husbands. Brandy and water after supper, and booby from Devonshire snapt up before my eyes. Little boy too in the family, that belonged to a sister who " had died." I hate scandal; but I never could find out where that sister had been buried. "Fashionable square"-The fire, to the frying-pan! The worst item-(on consideration)-in all my experience. 2 K Dishes without meat, and beds without blankets. "Terms," "" two hundred guineas a-year," and surcharges for night-candle. And, as for dinner! as I am a Yorkshireman, I never knew what it meant while I was in Manchester Square! I have had two step-mothers, Mr Editor, and I was six months at Mrs Tickletoby's preparatory school, and I never saw a woman since I was born cut meat like Lady Catharine Skinflint! There was a transparency about her slice which (after a good luncheon) one could pause to look at. She would cover you a whole plate with fillet of veal and ham, and not increase the weight of it half an ounce. And then the Misses Skinflints-for knowledge of anatomy-their cutting up a fowl!—In the puniest half-starved chicken that ever broke the heart of a brood hen to look at, they would find you side-bone, pinion, drumstick, liver, gizzard, rump, and merrythought! and, even beyond this critical acquaintance with all admittedand apocryphal-divisions and distinctions, I have caught the eldest of them actually inventing new joints, that, even in speculation, never before existed! I understand the meaning now of the Persian salutation-" May your shadow never be less!" I lost mine entirely in about a fortnight that I staid at Lady Skinflint's. Two more hosts took me "at livery" (besides the "widow" of the "officer of rank")—an apothecary, who made patients of his boarders, and an attorney, who looked for clients among them. I got away from the medical gentleman rather hastily, for I found that the pastry-cook who served the house was his brother; and the lawyer was so pressing about "discounts," and "investments of property," that I never ventured to sign my name, even to a washing-bill, during the few days I was in his house: On quitting the which, I took courage, and resolved to become my own provider, and hired a "First Floor," accordingly ("unfurnished") in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury Square. "Mutatio loci, non ingenii." The premier coup of my new career amounted to an escape. I ordered a carte blanche outfit from an upholsterct of Piccadilly, determined to have my "apartments" unexceptionable before I entered them; and discovered, after a hundred pounds laid out in painting, decorating, and curtain fitting, that the "ground landlord" had certain claims which would be liquidated when my property "went in.' This miscarriage made me so cautious, that, before I could choose again, I was the sworn horror of every auctioneer and house-agent (so called) in London. I refused twenty offers, at least, because they had the appearance of being "great bargains." Eschewed all houses, as though they had the plague, in which I found that "single gentlemen were preferred." Was threatened with three actions of defamation for questioning the solvency of persons in business. And, at length, was so lucky as to hit upon a really desirable mansion! The " family" perfectly respectable; but had "more room than was necessary to them. Demanded the "strictest references," and accepted no inmate for " less than a year." Into this most unexceptionable abode I conveyed myself and my property. Sure I should stay for ever, and doubted whether I ought not to secure it at once for ten years instead of one. And, before I had been settled in the house three quarters of an hour, I found that the chimneys-every one of them! smoked from the top to the bottom! There was guilt, Mr North, in the landlord's eye, the moment the first puff drove me out of my drawing-room. He made an effort to say something like " damp day;" but the " amen stuck in his throat. He could not say 66 amen," Mr Editor, when I did cry "God bless us!" The whole building, from the kitchen to the garret, was infected with the malady. I had noticed the dark complexions of the family, and had concluded they were from the West Indies,-they were smoke-dried!— "Blow high, blow low!" I suffered six weeks under excuses, knowing them to be humbug all the while. For a whole month it 6 was the wind;" but I saw "the wind" twice all round the compass, and found, blow which way it would, it still blew down my chimney. Then we came to "Cures." First, there were alterations at the top-new chimney-pots, cowls, hovels-and all |