The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 17, No. 480, March 12, 1831

In Short

This installment of a popular nineteenth-century British miscellany offers readers a vivid cross-section of early Victorian intellectual curiosity and popular entertainment. Through a curated collection of essays, historical vignettes, correspondence, and verse, the issue traverses topics ranging from the economic prospects of Western Australia's Swan River colony to the chemical formulas for long-lasting writing ink. It preserves a moment when print culture was expanding rapidly, serving a public eager for practical knowledge, literary reflection, and lighthearted humor. Its varied subjects reveal the broad scope of curiosity that defined the era's popular press.

The Story

The issue opens with a detailed colonial report regarding the newly established Swan River settlement in Western Australia. Drawing from primary letters, official charts, and military surveys, the text charts the geographical and economic realities of the young colony. It describes the physical landscape surrounding Perth and Freemantle, analyzing the utility of native timber—notably resistant to white ants—and assessing the security of local anchorages like Britannia Roads against harsh winter gales. The narrative highlights the exploration into the interior by officers of the 63rd regiment, who discovered fertile lands eastward beyond the mountains, reassuring potential emigrants and countering negative reports circulating in rival colonial presses.

From the shores of Australia, the issue shifts its focus toward reflective literature, historical biography, and scientific inquiry. An essay on Canterbury and Mount St. Michael examines historical sieges, royal visits, and the destruction of state prison cages, contrasting medieval feudalism with modern sensibilities. This historical reflection yields to a scientific investigation by Dr. John Bostock regarding the chemistry of black writing ink. Through systematic experiments with gallic acid, sulphate of iron, and decoctions of coffee, Bostock outlines practical methods to prevent ink from molding or fading, framing chemical experimentation as an accessible, everyday pursuit.

The narrative progression moves deeper into personal reflection and cultural critique through William Hazlitt’s essay, "The Letter-Bell." Hazlitt uses the nightly sound of the mail delivery bell as a portal into memory, reflecting on the art of painting, political integrity, and the loss of youthful idealism. His prose contrasts the mechanical speed of modern mail-coaches and telegraphs with the romantic, slow-moving post-boys and beacon fires of the past.

The volume then turns to romantic fiction with "The Dream Girl," depicting the wild, ethereal Julie, whose untamed physical beauty and terrifying grace alienate her suitors in an idyllic mountain setting. This narrative gives way to a grim historical portrait of Cardinal Richelieu’s final hours, detailing his unyielding pride, his political maneuvering over Louis XIII, and his relentless consolidation of absolute monarchical power. The issue concludes with "The Gatherer," a traditional miscellany of short historical anecdotes, linguistic origins, playful riddles, and satirical verse, rounding out a complete tour of nineteenth-century popular print.

How It Unfolds

The settlement charted The issue opens with reports and lithographic views of the Swan River colony in Western Australia, detailing geographical anchorages, native timber, and recent interior discoveries made by British officers.

Inks and antiquities A poetic tribute to Canterbury leads into historical accounts of Mount St. Michael, followed directly by a practical scientific experiment analyzing how to produce durable, fade-resistant writing ink.

The mail bell rings William Hazlitt reflects on the evocative sound of the letter-bell, linking the passage of time to artistic devotion, early political conviction, and changing modes of public transportation.

Wildness and absolute power A romantic tale introduces Julie, a mountain maiden whose fierce independence frightens away suitors, followed by a dark historical sketch of Cardinal Richelieu maintaining uncompromising political dominance on his deathbed.

Curiosities gathered The issue closes with a lighthearted collection of short anecdotes, word origins, historical oddities, and humorous comparisons between comets and women.

The People

• The Swan River Settler seeks to secure 3,200 acres of fertile land in Western Australia, facing harsh winter gales and bad press while searching for economic stability in a raw, unexplored territory.
• Dr. John Bostock aims to solve the practical problem of ink deterioration, experimenting tirelessly with galls, iron, and coffee to discover a formula that resists molding and loss of color.
• William Hazlitt reflects on his past self, longing for the unbroken integrity of his youth while accepting the quiet comfort found in the art of writing and memory.
• Julie wants absolute freedom in her mountain paradise, using her astonishing speed and wild, shrill laughter to terrify potential suitors who attempt to tame her.
• Cardinal Richelieu demands absolute control over France even as death approaches, refusing all remorse, threatening the queen, and enforcing obedience from King Louis XIII until his final breath.

In Its Own Voice

The rivers swarm with fish, every one of which is good eating; but it is only lately that we have been well supplied with them.

A settler describes the abundant yet newly harnessed natural resources available along the banks of the Swan River in Western Australia.

I have never given the lie to my own soul. If I have felt any impression once, I feel it more strongly a second time; and I have no wish to revile and discard my best thoughts.

William Hazlitt reflects on the value of personal consistency and intellectual honesty throughout a lifetime of political and literary writing.

The man of blood knew no remorse. His acts had all been, he asserted, for his country's good; and the same unbending pride and unshaken confidence that had commanded the respect of men, seemed to accompany him into the presence of his Maker.

A historian recounts the icy composure and unyielding pride of Cardinal Richelieu during his final moments on his deathbed.

What It's Really About

Underneath its fragmented periodical structure, the volume explores how human beings attempt to impose order on a changing world. Whether through the territorial surveying of newly claimed colonies, the chemical stabilization of physical ink, or the political centralisation of a nation under an absolute monarch, each piece touches upon the drive to organize chaos. Alongside this impulse sits a quiet nostalgia for what is lost in the name of progress—a sentiment captures by Hazlitt's defense of slow communication over rapid machinery.

Why Read It Today

This publication offers a raw, unvarnished window into the reading habits and intellectual curiosity of the 1830s public. Rather than presenting a single sustained narrative, it exposes modern readers to the exact texture of nineteenth-century media, where high political philosophy sat directly alongside chemical recipes, travel letters, and playful puns. Readers who enjoy cultural history or vintage journalism will appreciate the volume's variety and conversational immediacy.

The collection requires patience, as the abrupt shifts between topics—moving from Australian colonial strategy to French political history in a single page—can feel jarring to modern readers accustomed to unified books. Furthermore, period attitudes regarding colonial expansion and gender roles appear throughout the text without modern framing. Yet, what stays with the reader is the vibrant, restless curiosity of the era, illustrating how print culture helped ordinary people process rapid technological and social change.