more finished aspect and character. The tragical interest would have gained greatly, if, for example, the curse which rested on the Nibelungen treasure had been pronounced with more distinctness. Nor do we miss with less difficulty, if not inconvenience, more finish and execution in some single figures and images, as for example, in Volker, the little Ortlieb, and others. The manner too, is, perhaps, now and then stiff, as if cast in inflexible iron; yet it is by no means affected and clumsy; nay, in point of grace and sprightliness, it carries the palm over the mass of heroic poems of more recent periods.

We find in the Nibelungenlied almost all the qualifications which pertain to a first-rate work of art. How animated and consummate are the various natures we here behold in a state of action! The whole is, in this respect, a faithful portrait of the German nation, so excellently described by Tacitus, and other ancient writers. The rudeness which now and then prevails, is an expression of the period in which the poem was composed, and, is depicted in such a manner as to lead us to suppose that the whole originated with the superabundance of natural untutored powers, and impulses, rather than with the great irritability of a sickly and corrupt race. Again; how finished is the description of individual character; as, for example, Siegfried's innocent and harmless integrity, coupled with so much Titanic valor, exercised, too, almost without consciousness or pride, so as to render him amiable even in his most daring defiance. And Chriemhild, how chaste and virgin-like! and with features, too, that remind the reader of Grecian loveliness and grace. Even the very act of betraying the secret confided to her by Siegfried, is only a natural outbreak of offended consciousness and self-regard, provoked by the overbearing and fiend-like character of Brunihild. And so is, indeed, her second blunder, which is based on her intense love of her husband. The very revenge she takes on her ungrateful brother, and the fierce and crafty Hagen, is palliated by so many acts of the most revolting injustice, that we need hardly have recourse to the character of the age to find an excuse for it. Less finished, perhaps, although full of poetical truth, and equally attractive, is the description of Queen Brunihild. Indeed, her secret passion for Siegfried, is handled with so much delicacy and true savoir faire, as to suffer no abhorrence to spring up against this personage.

The most finished character, in our opinion, is Hagen; and we may safely say, that throughout the whole range of poetry there are very few sketches equal to it. It is in the second part of the poem where he appears to the greatest advantage, -where Hagen, evidently seized by the foreboding and pre

diction of his impending fate, accelerates his own ruin and that of his companions. Here the poet endeavours to represent his hero as colossal as possible, making him preserve to the last, and in the midst of the most prodigious acts of wrath, a truly chivalrous degree of honour. By his side we find the minstrel Volker, the fidelere gut,' whose fiddle-bow is more than a match for iron or steel, and cannot be resisted by the helmet, the shield, or coat of mail, the moment it descends on either. This Volker is an exceedingly interesting character, which, little as it is carried out, represents, with the rest of his warlike companions, all that is heroic, and truly noble.

How this Epos, calm as was the poet's mode of creation, progresses rapidly and smoothly,-how the interest is maintained and increased throughout, and especially towards the end, where the destruction of the most valiant, and the terrible massacre of the Nibelungen is described with wonderful force and skill,— this, and more, may be inferred from what has been briefly pointed out, and from the few specimens with which we have illustrated our opinions.

Little remains to be said concerning the modern German version of this poem, executed by Karl Simrock. This author ranks so high among German writers, that it would be presumptuous for us, to add anything to what has already been said concerning his version of this Epos, and of other similar performances. The whole, however, is another proof of what a translator can do, if he is inspired with a deep and sincere regard for the original, and penetrated by a large amount of intense feeling for its beauties. Accordingly, Herr Simrock, being himself endowed with the rarest mental gifts, and a truly poetical soul; having, moreover, a surprising command over his language and euphony, his version may be regarded as the most faithful, elegant, and truly scholar-like, known in the German language.

51

ART. III.-Borneo and the Indian Archipelago. With Drawings of Costume and Scenery. By Frank S. Marryat, late Midshipman of H.M.S. Samarang, Surveying Vessel. London: Longman and Co. Most of our readers are aware, that shortly after the termination of our war with China, the government sent out the Samarang, under the command of Sir Edward Belcher, on an expedition to survey the coasts, and chief approaches to that empire. The narrative of this expedition has lately been given to the world by the commander, in a very interesting volume, which includes a summary of the natural history of the countries visited, a brief vocabulary of the principal languages, together with astronomical observations. So much interest has, however, of late been awakened as to these 'far-off islands of the sea,'-especially Borneo, and its enterprising rajah of Sarawak, Mr. Brooke,—that every piece of information, from the quarto volume to the mere extract of a letter, has been eagerly sought after. We, therefore, are not surprised that Mr. Marryat's wish to publish his drawings, without letter-press, was overruled, although, from the animus pervading many parts of his journal, he will probably some future time regret its complete publication.

The narrative, in which we think we can trace somewhat of his father's dashing, off-hand, but most graphic style, commences with the Samarang setting sail from Spithead, in January, 1843. In July, she arrived at Borneo, where the appearance of the Loandoo Dyaks, with eyes black, and deeply sunk in their head, nose flattened, mouth very large, lips of a bright vermillion, from chewing of the betel nut, and their teeth black, and filed to sharp points,' made rather an unfavourable impression on our young artist. After some difficulty in 'kedging and towing,' the Samarang at length anchored in the Sarawak, off the town of Kuchin, which contains about eight hundred houses, where the whole ship's company received a most hospitable welcome from Mr. Brooke. We have here a sketch of his residence, pleasantly situated, but extremely unpretending in its character. While there, some of the officers made an excursion with Mr. Brooke up the river, and also to the gold, and antimony mines, which are worked by Chinese. The latter appears to be very abundant :

The antimony is obtained from the side of a hill, the whole of which is supposed to be formed of this valuable mineral. The side at which the men are at work shines like silver during the day, and may be seen several miles distant, strangely contrasting with the dark foliage of the adjoining jungles. The ore is conveyed to Kuchin, and is there shipped

on board of the Royalist, (Mr. Brooke's schooner yacht,) and taken to Singapore, where it is eagerly purchased by the merchants, and shipped for England. *

*

'After dinner we all proceeded to the rivulet in search of gold; the natives had cleared out the bed of the river; the sand and stones were thrown into an artificial sluice for washing it; and a little gold was found by some of the party. This gold mine, if it may be so called, is worth to Mr. Brooke about £1000 per annum, after all the expenses are paid. Its real value is much greater; but the Chinese conceal a great quantity, and appropriate it to themselves. But if the particles of gold which are brought down by a small rivulet are of such value, what may be the value of the mines above, in the mountains as yet untrodden by human feet? This, it is to be hoped, enterprise will some day reveal.'p. 9.

A visit to the mountain called Sarambo, which is of great height, and excursions among the Dyak villages, employed their time pleasantly, until the Samarang again put to sea. After visiting various islands, they sailed for the Madjicesimer islands, which are subject to the kingdom of Loo-Choo, and landed at Pa-tchu-san. The natives here received them with the same courtesy which the inhabitants of Loo-Choo have shown to strangers; and although, naturally enough, 'they appeared uneasy at the proposal of our surveying the whole group,' they eventually assented, and furnished both horses and necessaries.

The inhabitants, judging from the portrait of one which Mr. Marryat has given, seem to be of Malayan, if not Arabic extraction. The features are sharp, but finely formed, and the expression is remarkably mild and intelligent. They have no intercourse with any part of the world beside Loo-Choo, and know of the existence of no countries except China, Loo-Choo, and Japan. 'We were the first white men they had ever seen,' says Mr. Marryat, and we are fain to believe, that the conduct of the company of the Samarang was such as to leave a favourable impression on these secluded islanders.

After visiting various places, they landed at Great Sooloo, 'the chief of a group of islands known as the Sooloo Archipelago.' The inhabitants resemble the Malays, both in their personal appearance, and warlike character. The Samarang was the first English man-of-war that had called at Sooloo, since the visit of Dalrymple, in 1761. A severe fight with the Malay pirates, off the coast of Gilolo, in which Sir Edward Belcher was wounded, soon after followed. after followed. We regret the remarks in which Mr. Marryat has here indulged. With personal irritations, likely enough to occur on board-ship, the public have little to do; the 'showing-up,' therefore, of either

messmate or commanding-officer, under circumstances which preclude reply, is ungenerous if not unjust.

Borneo, which they visited several times, is inhabited, as our readers are aware, by various tribes, indigenous to the neighbouring isles and continent-Arabs, Malays, Chinese, and the natives of Celebes. The chief men claim an Arab descent; and, from the portraits given, we have little doubt that the claim is well founded. There has, we think, been too much abuse of these islanders, because they live by piracy, but we should bear in mind that our own forefathers, Saxon and Norman, were as fierce and enterprising pirates, as those of the eastern Archipelago. We have, indeed, been often struck, when reading accounts of them, to find how closely the description of these voyages in the nineteenth century resembles that of the Greek historian in the sixth to the north, when he tells of the ferocious pirates, whose vessels were unmatched in swiftness, and whose crews were as unmatched in prowess. And yet, these ferocious pirates became the civilizers of modern Europe, laying aside, under the genial influence of Christianity, their blood-thirsty practices, but retaining that energetic spirit of enterprise which, rudely developed as it then was, was still their impulsive principle. In the great care and skill bestowed on their boats, these pirates greatly resemble our remote forefathers; indeed, when we observe their rude habitations, and their more than half-savage customs, we may well be astonished at the perfection, both of their sailing and their warboats. We have very interesting drawings of both; and of the latter, the following description :

'The Malay war boat, or prahu, is built of timber at the lower part, the upper is of bamboo, rattan, and Redgang, (the dried leaf of the Nepan palm.) Outside the bends, about a foot from the water line, runs a strong gallery, in which the rowers sit cross-legged. At the after part of the boat is a cabin for the chief who commands, and the whole of the vessel is surmounted by a strong flat roof, upon which they fight, their principal weapons being the kris and spear, both of which, to be used with effect, require elbow room.

The Dyak war boat is a long built canoe, more substantially constructed than the prahu of the Malays, and sufficiently capacious to hold from seventy to eighty men. This also has a roof to fight from. They are generally painted, and the stern ornamented with flowers.

Both descriptions of war boats are remarkably swift, notwithstanding such apparent loss of weight.'-p. 63.

The drawing subjoined exhibits the prow raised to the height of nearly twenty feet, and decked with a rather handsome ornament of carved wood, with feathers depending, and a plume surmounting the whole.