lying at anchor or gaily sailing about in every direction; and what moving object in the world can surpass, in grandeur, beauty, and interest, a fine ship under full canvass with a light breeze?  Let the reader only imagine how glorious a sight it must have been, when 200 sail,—­line-of-battle-ships, frigates, and large merchantmen under convoy, would weigh anchor at the same time, and proceeding on their voyage, pass round the island as it were in review!—­thus affording a spectacle, as they floated

    “O’er the glad waters of the dark blue sea,”

never to be erased from the memory of those who had once the incomparable pleasure to witness it.  True it is, that in these happier times of peace, such exhibitions are not to be expected:  but frequently even now, very large fleets of merchantmen, and perhaps several men-of-war, which have put in through distress of weather, or been detained by contrary winds, will all at the same moment weigh anchor at the first favorable change. [Footnote:  The glories of the olden time have of late years been frequently revived at the departure of Experimental and other squadrons rendezvousing at Spithead,—­accompanied as they sometimes are by hundreds of sailing-craft and steamers, including the beautiful yachts of all the neighbouring clubs.]

We think it ridiculous to attribute qualities to the island (as is often done,) which it really does not possess:  all we contend for is, that few spots can excel the Wight altogether in the amount of its VARIOUS attractions; we mean especially to those parties who can only snatch occasionally a very brief period for a summer excursion; not only as regards its peculiar and acknowledged local advantages, but equally so from those adventitious and auxiliary circumstances that are derived from the present rail-road conveyance from the metropolis:  and from the shortness and perfect safety of the passage across—­being little more than an hour from Southampton, and only half that time from Portsmouth; the former an important mercantile port and fashionable watering-place; and the latter, the first naval station in the kingdom—­its marine treasures too thrown open gratuitously to public inspection:  and what curiosity can afford a Briton more gratification, than to visit such a dock-yard, and pace the deck of the very ship in which Victory crowned the last moments of the immortal Nelson?

Though the island has to boast of many passages of highly romantic and brilliant scenery, yet the predominant character of its landscapes is, as was hinted above, calculated to amuse, to delight, and promote cheerfulness, rather than to astonish or impress the spectator with feelings of awe by their stupendous grandeur; circumstances which, combined with its salubrity of climate, render it a most desirable retreat to the valetudinarian and nervous invalid:  indeed all the alterations which have latterly been