19 DECEMBER 1835, Page 13

ILLUSTRATED LITERA.TURE—MARRYAT'S SEA-SCENES AND WATTS'S SOUVENIR.

WE imagine we have looked our last upon the pure old Annuals of the year ; and in good sooth we are not grieved. Except the Oriental and the Picturesque, each of which had a peculiar object and plan, they were becoming bores. Their insipid same- ness—their uniformity of mediocrity—rendered them wearisome to read; most difficult to write about, when one felt anxious to invest each with what it bad not, a distinct character; and, not- withstanding every good-natured allowance for Annual literature, more difficult than all to praise. " They are evidently," we soli- loquized in dismissing the last batch," getting old and worn-out : the little matter the contributors ever had is exhausted—they even themselves appear to have some misgivings upon the score of ability and spirit : ten or a dozen years is, doubtless, their allotted span; and now they have reached it, they not only seem like creatures about to die, but like creatures who deserve death. If illustrated books are to continue to adorn our drawing-rooms and charm their charming occupants, they must appear in some new mode and be animated by some new spirit." How this was to be brought about, was reserved for future consideration; but lo ! ere we bad time to shape the germs of our musings, our visions of the poAsible future rect.:ye a present realization. The author of Peter Simple has started up as suddenly as a Congreve rocket, and as complete as the offspring of the dragon's teeth. That his work is intended to be yearly, we cannot with certainty say ; but it has all the taking points of an Annual. Its plates in excellence may vie with the best; in number they nearly equal any, and exceed the majority ; in paper, type, and, as Dr. DIBDIN would say, magni- ficence or margin, the volume surpasses them all. The letterpress is illustrated by the plates, and both relate to the Sea : so that, if the Captain intends to continue his speculation, we presume it may be called the Nautical Annual. Or is it only one Pilgrimage on the Ocean, to rival BULWER'S on the Rhine ? Or merely a proof that things move not in advance, but in cycles? are we returning to the fashions, of our forefathers—looking for the eye to be pleased as well as the mind, and calling upon the engraver to supply the place of the illuminator of yore ? Of the literature of this elegant volume we are now to speak. Its general structure may be described as consisting in a succession of scenes, each of which has an interest of its own, and some of -which are to a certain extent independent, but all of them having a connexion with a thread of events whose evolution forms a story. The manner of these scenes is a mixture of narrative and dialogue, though the latter preponderates ; so that the reader has at times the force and spirit of the drama, with the addition of those ample descriptions and minute touches of which dramatic writing does not admit. The merit and character of the execution are so dif- ferent in the different stories, that it will be more convenient to consider them separately. The tales, as the titlepage would in a measure indicate, are two in number,—The Pirate, and The Three Cutters. The latter is the shortest and the best. It is the pleasantest piece of reading the year has produced,—as capital a bit of comedy as has been written in our century, with the addition of much that comedy (as we have just intimated) does not admit of. The subjects and characters are fewer than in Peter Simple, but as far as they go the scenes are animated by a similar spirit : there is the same hu- mour, the same keen perception of character, an equal power of truly and quietly presenting it, as much of point and sly satire, and the same finish down to the minutest parts. The vessels which give the story its name are a nobleman's yacht, a revenue-cruiser, and a smuggling-cutter. At the commencement we are intro- duced to each vessel and her company. The fourth chapter opens with the meeting of "the Three Cutters," at daybreak, off Port- land Hill, and with the cruiser in cbace of the smuggler. Through an over-zeal for the revenue-laws, the boat of the yacht as lowered by its noble owner, and boards the Happy-go-lucky. Having no proof of her criminality, and no authority for inter- fering if they had, Lord B. and his men are turned adrift without ceremony, and with only a pair of oars. A fog coming on, the smuggler escapes the cruiser. Her commander—quite a gentle- man, as many free traders now are—boards the yacht, transfers his cargo to her, and the remainder of the seamen and gentlemen to the Happy-go-lucky; but retains some of the servants, and the ladies—a widow, an old maid, and his Lordship's daughter. Out of this change springs what story there is. The smuggler runs Las venture under the character of a nobleman yachting, and bears

a part in some comedy, and commences a little romance, for which the reader must see the book.

The Pirate is a far more intricate and elaborate affair than The Three Cutters; but, though more ambitiously laboured, we can- not think it so successful. There is indeed an excitement in parts of the story, and a breathless interest in some of the scenes ; and they are distinguished, too, by great variety—embracing almost every disastrous chance that can beset those who travel on the great waters. There are passages, moreover, here and there, which are life itself; and in none of the scenes—not even in that horrid one where the Pirates have captured the Portuguese treasure- ship, and, having massacred the crew, are dealing with the pas- sengers—does MARRYAT "o'crstep the modesty of nature ;" that is, in the descriptions, supposing the events to occur. But the structure of the story is complicated: the time is extended over too long a period, with visible gaps between,—for the author, instead of plunging in medias res, and " bringing up" by retro- spection, begins with the beginning : there is more of theatrical effect : the author has fallen into the vulgar error of letting a good action or two and a brief repentance atone for a life of revolt- ing crime : and it strikes us—but allowance must be made for a perusal hurried on by the excitement incident to the subjects, and to which time was wanted for a deliberate reconsideration—that the execution of some parts is less poetical and more literal than in the best of MAttavAr's former works. But this is perhaps considering over critically. When we remember the kind of stuff that is too frequently our weekly food, one ought to be grateful for a work whose interest is such that, after having read every line, we are doubtful about some parts of its execution. We cannot present a fair specimen; because that would require a whole scene, which it would be necessary to introduce by an elaborate setting. But a bit may be given, as a brick from the house; and the readiest to pull out is—

THE CABIN OCCUPANTS OF THE REVENUE-CUTTER.

We will at once go down into the cabin, where we shall find the lieutenant who commands her, a master's mate, and a midshipman. They have each their tumbler before them, and are drinking gin toddy, hot, with sugar—capital gin too, 'hove proof ; it is from that small anker, standing under the table. It was one they forgot to return to the customhouse when they made their last seizure. We must introduce them.

The elderly personsage, with grizzly hair and whiskers, a round pale face, and a somewhat red nose (being too much in the wind will make the nose red,

and this old officer is very often " in the wind," of course from the Vet y nature

of his profession), is a Lieutenant Appleboy. He hiss served in every class of vessel in the service, and done the dirty of a first lieutenant for twenty years; be

isuow on promotion—that is to say, after he has taken a certain number of the tubs of gin, he will be rewarded with his rank as commander. It is a pity that what he takes iuside of him does not count, for be takes it morning, noon, and night. He is just filling his fourteenth glass ; be always keeps a a regular account, as he never exceeds his limited number, which is seventeen: then he is exactly down to his bearings. The master's mate's name is Tomkins; he has served his six years three times over, and has now outgrown his ambition ; which is fortunate for him, as

his chances of promotion are small. He prefers a small vessel to a large one, because he is not obliged to be so particular in his dress—and looks for his lieutenancy whenever there shall be another charity promotion. He is fond of

soft bread, for his teeth are all absent without leave; he prefers porter to any other liquor, but lie can drink his glass of grog, whether it be based upon rum, brandy, or the liquor now before him. Mr. Smith is the name of that young gentleman, whose jacket is out at the elbows; lie has been intending to mend it these last two months, but is too lazy to go to his chest for another. Ile has been turned out of half the ships in the service for laziness; but he was born so, and therefore it is not his fault. A revenue-cutter suits him—she is half her time hove to ; and he has no objection to boat-service, as he sits down always in the stern-sheets, which is not fatiguing. Creeping for tubs is his delight, as he gets over so little ground. He is fond of grog, but there is some trouble in carrying the tumbler so often to his mouth; so he looks at it, and lets it stand. He says little, because he is too lazy to speak. He has served more than eight years ; but as for passing—it has never come into his head. Such are the three persons who are now sitting in the cabin of the revenue-cutter drinking hot gin-toddy.