MR HAYDON'S PICTURE. MR HAYDON has just arrived in Edinburgh for the purpose of exhibiting his great Picture of Christ's Entry into Jerusalem. It is to be seen in Bruce's Room, on the Waterloo Bridge; and as the best judges inform us, with much greater advantages of light and situation than it ever enjoyed in London. It is probable, that the absurd style of language in which this picture has been lauded by the critics of Cockaigne, may have inspired many of our readers (as we confess it had ourselves), with many doubts and suspicions; but, in order to do away with these, we are quite sure, nothing more can be necessary than a single glance at this wonderful performance itself. We have no room now, to enter upon either description or critiqueindeed, had we all the room in the world, we doubt very much whether we should venture to do so. It is quite evident, that Mr Haydon is already by far the greatest historical painter that England has as yet produced. In time, those that have observed this masterpiece, can have no doubt he may take his place by the side of the very greatest painters of Italy. His picture possesses, indeed, all the fire and energy of a first conception; but nothing can be more absurd than what is said in the Edinburgh Review —that it exhibits, namely, nothing more than the ground-work of a fine picture. On the contrary, we do not remember ever to have seen any thing richer than the colouring of almost the whole piece, or more perfectly brought out than its minutest details. We believe many portraits are introduced. On the left hand of our Saviour there is a fine groupe of Sir Isaac Newton, in calm contemplation-Wordsworth, with his head bowed down in sublime humility-and Voltaire, with a terrible sneer upon his countenance. The groupe, on the other side of the foreground, of the Repentant Girl brought to the Saviour by her Mother and Sister, with the Roman Centurion kneeling beside them, struck us as the most graceful conception in the whole picture. The room contains many splendid drawings, chiefly from the Elgin Marbles, by Mr Haydon and his pupils. REMARKS ON CAPTAIN PARRY'S EXPEDITION.* THE expedition, under the command of Captain Ross, although very important and interesting, from the numerous nautical observations it made in Baffin's Bay, still did not satisfy the expectations of men of science, and the public, in regard to the North-west Passage. The Lords of the Admiralty, as we are led to believe, from a statement (we think a harsh one) in the Quarterly Review, were, on the whole, somewhat dissatisfied with Captain Ross's investigation of Sir James Lancaster's Sound, and were of opinion, that if a passage existed in Baffin's Bay, it must be somewhere in that quarter. In order to determine this important geographical problem, an expedition was fitted out last year, consisting of two strong vessels, the Hecla and Griper, which were placed under the command of Lieutenant Parry. This gentleman, whose talents and feelings are worthy of the best and most glorious days of nautical enterprise and discovery, was accompanied by a chosen band of intrepid and experienced officers, and the vessels were manned by crews full of zeal and enthusiasm, and in the highest and In the annexed map, we have represented Baffin's Bay, as surveyed by Captain Ross, and laid down, in a general way, the discoveries of Captain Parry, extending from Laneaster sound to Melville island. most perfect state of discipline. Government provided every comfort and convenience for the crews embarked in this perilous undertaking; and it was universally acknowledged, that no discovery ships ever left the shores of England in a higher state of equipment.* They left England on the 11th of May 1819, and reached Cape Farewell, the most southern part of West Greenland, on the 14th of the succeeding June. On the 20th of June, the ships were in lat. 64° north; on the 26th June, they were beset in the ice, and, after having endeavoured, but in vain, to urge their way, during a painful detention of four days, were, at last, glad to get back again. Having reached lat. 74° north, they determined to force a passage through the barrier of ice, which they found to be eighty miles broad. Having succeeded in this, they reached Possession Bay on the 31st July; and, on the 1st August, entered in safety Sir James Lancaster's Sound, where they found the same open sea which has been described in the accounts of the former expedition, They advanced to long. 89° west, meeting with but little obstruction from the ice; and in long. 90° west, discovered two considerable islands, named Prince Leopold's Isles. But, at this point, their progress westwards was interrupted by a strong barrier of ice, extending quite across from these islands to the north coast of what Captain Parry, we understand, named BARROW STRAITS. Being thus arrested by the ice, and forced to alter their course, they now entered a great inlet, of 14 or 15 leagues in breadth, which they found extending to the southward. They sailed along its eastern coast-its middle part and western coast being blocked up with ice, as far as lat. 71° north, when their farther progress southward also was found to be impossible, by reason of the ice. In proceeding down this inlet, the magnetic attraction increased so powerfully, that the existence of the magnetic pole may be conjectured to be somewhere in that neighbourhood; probably in the lat. 70° N. and long. of 100° W. On their return to Barrow's Straits, it was found that the barrier of ice, extending across from Prince Leopold's Isles to the North coast, had broken up, so that the ships were now enabled to pursue their course westwards. Having reached long. 92°, they found the land on the north side of the Strait, which had been continuous, from the entrance of Sir James Lancaster's Sound, now discontinuous, owing to a great inlet. Land, however, was still seen to the westward : So the expedition continued its course in that direction. In doing so, the ships passed a number of great islands, all of them apparently surrounded with ice; from which circumstance, partial detentions were unavoidable, and their course ran in a sort of zigzag style, from lat. 73° N., to lat. 75° N. On the 4th of September, they were in long. 110° W.; and here they discovered an island which appeared to be larger than any they had hitherto examined, and which we understand was named MELVILLE ISLAND, in honour of the distinguished statesman, now at the head of the Admiralty. This island, we are informed, extends from long. 106° W., to 114° W. On the 8th of September, the ships reached 112° W., and were inclosed for several days in the ice. Winter was now fast approaching; the ice was rapidly encreasing, and violent north-westerly gales kept it in a constant and dangerous state of agitation. These circumstances, of course, rendered the navigation very difficult, and began to endanger the safety of the ships. Our gallant countrymen, however, continued to contend with all these difficulties till the 22d of September, when it became evident that farther navigation was at an end for the season; and, therefore, prudence dictated their retreat to a secure haven for the polar winter. this purpose, they returned eastward, and found a harbour in Melville Island. But the ice had already formed from eight to ten inches thick, and therefore, the crews were forced to cut a passage for three miles through the ice. The 26th of September, in short, had arrived before For The Edinburgh Review, with its usual good faith, says the Hecla and Griper were miserable ships, and totally unfit for their intended voyage. they were fixed in their winter quarters in five fathoms water, and within about 200 yards from the shore. The lat. of this harbour, (if we recollect rightly, named Winter Harbour,) is 74 deg. N., and long 111 deg. W. Hitherto, they had never lost sight of a continuous barrier of ice to the southward, that is, from west long. 90 deg. to the extreme of Melville Island. Every thing was soon made snug for the formidable winter of these regions. The officers and crews formed various plans for passing the dreary days, or rather nights, of the polar regions. Plays were performed by the officers for their own amusement and that of the crews; and we are told, that a melo-drama was written, having for its object the probable success of the expedition, and their ultimate return to their friends through Behring's Straits, after having planted the British flag in countries which had eluded the bold and fearless darings of a Davis and a Baffin. The sun disappeared entirely on the 11th November. The thermometer was below Zero of Fahrenheit's scale, when the expedition entered Winter Harbour. In the month of November, the spirit of wine thermometer was 50° below Zero, and in February, the coldest month of these regions, the spirit of wine pointed to the tremendous cold of 54° and 55° below Zero. During these intense colds, our adventurous countrymen felt but little inconvenience so long as they remained under the housing of their ships. A slight covering for the ears, and a shawl around the neck, were considered as sufficient protection against the most intense degree of cold; but when the atmosphere was agitated by gales of wind, then the cold became truly dreadful and insupportable, and every one forced to seek shelter below. Nevertheless, scarcely any accident occurred from exposure to cold; while the constant and regular exercise, which formed a necessary part of the duty of the crews, kept every one lively, and active, and free from disease. One death only took place during the expedition, and that was in the case of an individual who had contracted the disease of which he died before he left England. This poor fellow re was poses in a solitary grave, amidst the trackless wilds of Melville Island. A little mound was erected to his memory, in a region which had never before been seen by any civilized beings, nay, the soil of which has, to all appearance, been but rarely visited by a few casual wanderers, from the most forlorn and isolated tribes of the human race. When the sun had its greatest southern declination, a twilight was perceptible at noon in the southern horizon, affording sufficient light to read a book with difficulty. The day was like the fine clear evening of winter in our climate. The stars shone with great brilliancy, and when the moon appeared in the firmament, she shone with a beauty and splendour unknown in the more southern and temperate regions of the globe. The northern lights appeared frequently, generally of a yellow colour, sometimes green, but rarely red, and most commonly towards the southwest. It was remarked, that this brilliancy was seldom so great as in our country; no noise was ever heard to proceed from them, and the magnetic needle did not appear to be affected by their presence. But we long to know if they were visible the whole day-and what were their various forms, and motions, and transparency. The sun re-appeared on the 3d of February, after an absence of 83 days, and those only who have suffered the privation of its "glorious light" can feel and tell the rapture with which the crews hailed the first glimpse from the mast-head. They had calculated the exact period of its return, and were anxiously looking for it from the main-top. In April, some partial symptoms of thaw appeared. By the end of May, pools and streams of water made their appearance, and shortly after, regular thaw commenced. Nearly about this time, Captain Parry, with a party of his officers and men, crossed Melville Island, and reached the sea on the opposite side, in Lat. 75° N. where they discovered another Island. They were fourteen days absent, and we have heard, made many curious observations on the forms of the hills and mountains of this Island, collecting withal, very extensively, specimens of all its |