THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| VOL. XVII, NO. 478.] | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1831. | [PRICE 2d. |
AUTOGRAPHS OF EMINENT PERSONS.
AUTOGRAPHS OF EMINENT PERSONS.AUTOGRAPHS.
It is long since our pages were illustrated with such characteristiclineaments as those on the opposite page. The reader will, however,perceive that we have not entirely forgotten the quaint motto fromShenstone, in our earlier volumes—
"I want to see Mrs. Jago's handwriting, that I may judge of her temper."
Still the annexed Autographs have not been drawn from our own portfolio:they come "frae North," being selected from an engraved Plate offorty-three signatures, published with No. 28 of the EdinburghLiterary Journal, and prefixed to a pleasing chapter on "theconnexion between character and handwriting"—from which we select onlya few anecdotical traits.
ANNE GRANT: "We have given Mrs. Grant of Laggan's present hand,in which may be discovered a little of the instability of advancinglife; but there is a well-rounded breadth and distinctness in theformation of the letters, which seems to carry along with it evidence ofthe clear and judicious mind of the talented authoress of 'Letters fromthe Mountains.'"
D. STEWART:—"General Stewart of Garth, a free, bold, military hand;his signature is taken from a letter complimenting in high terms Mr.Chambers's History of the Rebellion of 1745."
ALLAN CUNNINGHAM:—an easy flow of tasteful handwriting. "AllanCunningham," observes the reviewer, "has raised himself like Hogg;but, instead of the plough, he has handled the chisel; and there isin his constitution an inherent love of the fine arts, which bringshis thoughts into more grateful channels. We are well aware that thereis a warmth and breadth of character about Cunningham which mark 'thelarge-soul'd Scot;' but looking forward to his forthcoming Lives of theBritish Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, we do not conceive thisto be in the least inconsistent with the easy flow of his tastefulhandwriting."
F. HEMANS: "the very hand—fair, small, and beautifully feminine—inwhich should be embodied her gentle breathings of household love, hersongs of the domestic affections, and all her lays of silvery sweetnessand soft-breathing tenderness."
F. LEVESON GOWER, the distinguished translator of Goëthe's Faust.
H. BROUGHAM: "a good deal like his own style of oratory—impressive andenergetic, but not very polished." We question the last; but, be this asit may, polish is only desirable so long as it does not impair truth andutility. Plain-speaking has been the best rule of conduct for public menin all ages.
BASIL HALL: the observant traveller and very ingenious writer.
JOHN WILSON (the reputed editor of Blackwood's Magazine); andbeneath, F. JEFFREY (late editor of the Edinburgh Review), whotook his seat in Parliament not many days since.—"These are two nameswhich stand at the head of the periodical literature of Scotland. T