For

the past time of Scotland, he is a 'Historical Character,' and we shall be glad to see the veritable likeness of him. examples, given at random: George Buchanan, David Rizzio, Lord Hailes, Lord Kames, Monboddo, Bozzy, Burns, Gawin Douglas, Barbour, Jamie Thomson. I would take in, and eagerly, David Dale (of the cotton manufacture), less eagerly Dundas (of the suffrage ditto), and, in general, ask myself, Who said, did, or suffered anything truly memorable, or even anything still much remembered? From Bruce down to Heathfield and Abercromby, the common Historybooks will direct you plentifully as to one class; and for the others, knowledge and good judgment will be the methods.

4°. Lastly, as to the Catalogue. I am accustomed to conceive the Catalogue, if well done, as one of the best parts of the whole. Brevity, sound knowledge, exactitude, fidelity, ought to be the characteristic of every feature of it. Say you allow, on the average, not more than half a page to each, in by far the majority of cases; hardly more than a page to any historical, lucid, above all things exact. I would give the essence of the man's history, condensed to the very utmost; the dates, his birth, death, main transactions, — in short, the bones of his history; then add reference to books and sources (carefully distinguishing the good from the less good), where his history and character can be learned farther by such as wish to study it. Afterwards, in a line or two, indicate the actual habitat of the picture here exhibited; its history, if it have one; that it is known to be by such and such a master (and on what authority), or that it is only guessed. What value and excellence might lie in such a Catalogue, if rightly done, I need not say to David Laing; nor what labour, knowledge and resources would be needed to do it well! Perhaps divided among several men (with some head to preside over all), according to the several periods and classes of subject; - I can perceive work enough for you, among others, there! But, on the whole, it could be done; and it would be well worth doing, and a permanently

useful thing. I would have it printed in some bound form, not as a pamphlet, but still very cheap; I should expect a wide immediate sale for it at railway stations and elsewhere while the Exhibition went on, and a steady and permanent sale for it afterwards for a long time indeed. A modern Nicolson, done according to the real want of the present day; and far beyond what any Historical Library,' with its dusty pedantries, ever was before!

But enough now. Your patience must not be quite ridden to death, and the very paper admonishes me to have done. Accept in good part what hasty stuff I have written; forgive it at least. I must say, this small National Project has again grown to look quite beautiful to me ;- possible surely in some form, and full of uses. Probably the real "Crystal Palace" that would beseem poor old Scotland in these days of Exhibitions, a country rather eminently rich in men perhaps, which is the pearl and soul of all other "riches.”Believe me yours ever truly,

T. CARLYLE.1

1 Some efforts, I believe, were made in the direction indicated, by Gentlemen of the Antiquarian Society and others; but as yet without any actual "Exhibition" coming to light. Later, and for Britain at large, we have had, by the Government itself, some kind of "Commission" or "Board" appointed, for forming a permanent "National Portrait-Gallery," -with what success, is still to be seen. (Note of 1857.)

THE PRINZENRAUB:1

A GLIMPSE OF SAXON HISTORY.

[1855.]

OVER seas in Saxony, in the month of July 1455, a notable thing befell; and this in regard to two persons who have themselves, by accident, become notable. Concerning which we are now to say something, with the reader's permission. Unluckily, few English readers ever heard of the event; and it is probable there is but one English reader or writer (the present reviewer, for his sins) that was ever driven or led to inquire into it so that it is quite wild soil, very rough for the ploughshare; neither can the harvest well be considerable. “English readers are so deeply ignorant of foreign history, especially of German history!" exclaims a learned professor. Alas, yes; English readers are dreadfully ignorant of many things, indeed of most things; which is a lamentable circumstance, and ought to be amended by degrees.

But, however all this may be, here is somewhat in relation to that Saxon business, called the Prinzenraub, or Stealing

1 WESTMINSTER REVIEW, No. 123, January 1855.1. Schreiter's Geschichte des Prinzenraubs (Schreiter's History of the Stealing of the Princes). Leipzig, 1804.

2. Johann Hübner's, Rectoris der Schule zu S. Johannis in Hamburg, Genealogische Tabellen (Genealogical Tables, by Johann Hübner, Rector of St. John's School in Hamburg). 3 vols. oblong 4to. Leipzig, 1725-1728.

3. Genealogische Tafeln zur Staatengeschichte der Germanischen und Slawischen Völker im 19ten Jahrhundert (Genealogical Tables for the State History of the Germanic and Slavic Nations in the 19th Century). By Dr. Friedrich Maximilian Ertel. 1 vol. oblong 12mo. Leipzig, 1846.

of the Princes, and to the other "pearls of memory" (do not call them old buttons of memory!) which string themselves upon the threads of that. Beating about in those dismal haunted wildernesses; painfully sorting and sifting in the historical lumber-rooms and their dusty fusty imbroglios, in quest of far other objects, this is what we have pickedup on that accidental matter. To which the reader, if he can make any use of it, has our welcome and our blessing.

The Wettin Line of Saxon Princes, the same that yet endures, known by sight to every English creature (for the high individual, Prince Albert, is of it), had been lucky enough to combine in itself, by inheritance, by good management, chiefly by inheritance, and mere force of survival, all the Three separate portions and divided dignities of that country: the Thüringen Landgraviate, the Meissen Markgraviate, and the ancient Duchy and Electorate of Saxony; and to become very great among the Princes of the German empire. It was in 1423 that Elector Frederick, named der Streitbare (the Fencible, or Prompt-to-fight), one of the notables of this line, had got from Emperor Sigismund, for help rendered (of which poor Sigismund had always need, in all kinds), the vacant Kur (Electorship) and Dukedom of Saxony; after which accession, and through the earlier portion of the fifteenth century, this Saxon House might fairly reckon itself the greatest in Germany, till Austria, till Brandenburg gradually rose to overshadow it. Law of primogeniture could never be accepted in that country; nothing but divisions, redivisions, coalescings, splittings, and never-ending readjustments and collisions were prevalent in consequence ; to which cause, first of all, the loss of the race by Saxony may be ascribed.

To enter into all that, be far from us. Enough to say that this Streitbare, Frederick the Fencible, left several sons, and none of them without some snack of principality taken from the main lot several sons, who, however, by death and bad

behaviour, pretty soon reduced themselves to two: 1st, the eldest, a Frederick, named the Placid, Peaceable, or Pacific (Friedrich der Sanftmüthige), who possessed the electorate and indivisible, inalienable land thereto pertaining (Wittenberg, Torgau, &c.; a certain circle' or province in the Wittenberg region; of which, as Prussia has now got all or most of it, the exact boundaries are not known to me); and 2d, a Wilhelm, who in all the other territories 'ruled conjointly with Frederick.

Conjointly were not such lands likely to be beautifully 'ruled'? Like a carriage-team with two drivers on the box! Frederick, however, was Pacific; probably an excellent goodnatured man; for I do not find that he wanted fire either, and conclude that the friendly elements abounded in him. Frederick was a man that could be lived with; and the conjoint government went on, without visible outbreak, between his brother Wilhelm and him, for a series of years. For twelve years, better or worse; - much better than our own red and white Roses here at home, which were fast budding into battles of St. Albans, battles of Towton, and other sad outcomes about that time! Of which twelve years we accordingly say nothing.

But now in the twelfth year, a foolish second-cousin, a Friedrich the Silly (Einfältige), at Weimar, died childless, A.D. 1440; by which event extensive Thuringian possessions fell into the main lot again; whereupon the question arose, How to divide them? A question difficult to solve; which by-and-by declared itself to be insoluble; and gave rise to open war between the brothers Frederic Pacific and Wilhelm of Meissen. Frederick proving stronger, Wilhelm called-in the Bohemians, confused Hussite, Ziska-Podiebrad populations, bitter enemies of orthodox Germany; against whom Frederick sent celebrated fighting-captains, Kunz von Kaufungen and others; who did no good on the Bohemians, but showed all men how dangerous a conflagration had arisen here in the heart of the country, and how needful to be