The Press. — London, England, 1858-03-13 00:00:00

went in their name to study Holland and Prussia. addressed counsels of freedom to the Dutch, and he wrote a bold work on the Prussian monarchy. Frederick tie Ureat received him at Potsdam, talked with him about future destiny of Europe, and died bequeathing to him ,prophecy of his genius. He travelled incessantly from Germany to France, from France to Switzerland, from Switzerland to Holland, from Holland to London, and from London to Paris ; flying from country to country from pursuit of his creditors, and (Lagging everywhere alter the stigma of his vices, the fame of his talent, and the mystery of his new amours. 'le ideas by which Mirabeau's mighty intel :t were animated are thus recounted : The philosophical principles by which he was animated, which he bad mentally vowed to make triumph, had in his great intellect, that blind anl passionate charac , of fanactistn which overturns, as chance directs, every thing that exists before it, to make room for what is abaci 'ute or impossible. In him the passious were subject to intellect; his historical, and, so to speak, innate experience, regulated and ruled the application of his theories ; be ok obstacles into account, he compounded with habitudes, knew the immense influence which the past, however unfavourable, exercised on the present and future destinies *a nation; be did not rely upon the enthusiasm which inspired it, as a permanent force ; he knew that this en thusiasm, which, like boiling water, suddenly raises a nation above its natural level, lets it fail as suddenly, when it cools, far below itself. Mirabeau, when destroying, was desirous of replacing; he felt, with the great majority of the nauon, at this epoch, that the institutions, without roots and without ancestors, imported from America into Trance by Lafayette, were premature and unsuited to the ancient state of Europe; that the ample and almost un rivalled space occupied by a throne for thirteen centuries in France, would leave, if this throne should disappear too soon, a void which would only be filled up by anarchies, dictatorships, and military or popular despotisms; he be lieved neither in the pre-existing right nor in the eternity of the monarchy; but he did believe in its temporary ne ressity he even liked the institution ; he did more—he liked, from traditional loyalty, the family of the Kings of his fathers; he would have been equally happy in saving them as be was proud of attacking them ; he only threatened to destroy them that they might feel the neces• sity for his services in restoring them. We agree with Lamartine in his opinion that " the deplorable position of Mirabeau resulting "from the immorality of his youth is the most " powerful lesson of virtue that history can "give to men of genius." If Mirabeau had been a virtuous character an enormous mass of opinion would have rallied around him in France, and he might have been able to have saved the State. It is a solemn and sublime fact that even in degraded and licentious com munities the magic of character is a powerful spell in the swaying baser natures : To be the champion of a people, the conqueror or sup port of a conquered King—these were the two dreams of Mirabeau, who incessantly fluctuated in imagination be tween these two great parts. We have witnessed the ad mirable judgment which forced, him to renounce the first, and we are going to see the inevitable declivity which led bim towards the second. "Ah !" he exclaimed at this period, to the Count de la Marck, his most confidential friend, when discussing with him these two desires of his heart; " how injurious the immorality of my youth has been to the public good !" The noble part of an honest mediator of the people, and of an independent and accredited counsellor of the King, of which he felt himself worthy, seems by this exclamation to have been equally beyond his reach, from the little estimation in which his past life was held by the people, and from the repugnance the Court would have to employ so disreputable a minister. He was, therefore, compelled, in spite of himself, by the pitiless logic of his f►ults, to be nothing more for a long time than an eloquent but sus pected agitator for the people, and a hidden conspirator with the Court. The deplorable position of so great a man, ender these circumstances, is the most powerful lesson of virtue that history can give to men of genius. In spite of the clever sophism of Mirabean on the two moralities, life is one; each of our actions is, unknown to us, the conse quence of another. A dishonoured youth is a bad founda tion for a respectable maturity. The third and fourth of these volumes still await our notice, and we shall return to them on another day. The Case against the late Ministry Plainly Stated. By Sir Arthur Hallam Elton, Bart., M.P. London : Ridgway. Sin ARTHUR ELTON is well known as one of the most respectable of that band of poli ticians who decline to enrol themselves under the banners of party. We do not agree with the theory of Parliamentary Government which such conduct necessarily involves : yet the imposture which has been steadily main tuned for some years by the so-called Liberals afford s an excuse for this attitude on the part of all genuine progressionists. The object of the present pamphlet is obviously the vindication of Sir Arthur's own vote on the 19th of Feb. ; but it naturally falls under various heads, such as the guilt of the Government, the position I: he wrr ye add wrote a the tire the Putt a prel ,ll Switzer from 14 the par him the mystery The id lect The and wb not, in I ter of fa thing tt lute or i intellect regulate took tan he knee unfavou of a nat inspired thusiasi nation it cools, desirout the Dili roots an Trance 1 ancient rivalled in Filial soon, a dictator lieved n of the m resell; : liked, fr his filth( them at threaten sit; for We ni " the d " from " pow( " give been a of opii Franc( saved I fact di muniti spell it To be port of I Mirabea tween th mirable and we it him tow " Ah !' Marck, I hint diet immoral The n of an ind of which to have estimati , and froa so disrep in spite nothing pected al with the tinder th virtue th the cleve is one; quence Lion for The await ( on anc The C Slat M.P SIR A] the m ticians the ba the t which the i n .. Van.' THE PRESS, MARCH 13, 1858. of the independent Liberals, and the prospects of a Conservative Ministry. On all these points Sir Arthur's remarks are moderate and sensible ; and he brings out into bold relief the important fact that Lord Palmerston's idea of Foreign Policy is now obsolete, and in opposition to the best interests and most advanced intelligence of the country. If such be the fact, it need hardly he added that Lord Palmerston is obsolete too; for it was only as Foreign Minister that he had any pretensions to rank among English statesmen. There is another point, however, on which Sir Arthur has, we think, been a little incon siderate. He says : It is now time, h)wever, to answer the second question supposed to be put to the Liberals who voted against Lord Palmerston. How is it possible for a Conservative Ministry to stand in the face of a large Libera: majority ? The task undertaken by Lurd Derby is indeed one encompassed with grave difficulty, but I apprehend that is his lord ship's concern, and not ours. Now, this position we beg leave to impugn. It concerns Parliament generally that her Ma jesty's Government should regain something of that stability which it possessed prior to 1853, to say nothing of 1846; but it can never do so while any considerable portion of the House of Commons professes an indifference to the fate of Cabinets, and can contemplate perpetual changes of administration as a matter of course. These gentlemen, consci entious as we believe them to be, are misled by a phantom—by the idea of a popular assembly which controls the Government, deliberating and voting like a small and select council which only aspires to advise it. Government ought to represent a clear and comprehensive policy ; and the supporters of such a Government must connive at minor inconsistencies, and suppress differences of opinion on questions of detail, for the sake of the great end in which they all agree. Had Lord Palmerston and his party pursued this course, he would either never have gained or never have lost power ; but he fell a victim to his own inability to inaugurate an independent and national policy, and, by clutching at a precarious support from the Tories and Radicals alternately, has, as we have ever pre dicted he would. alienated both, and lost his popularity for life. A Narrative of the Mission sent by the Governor- General of India to the Court of Ava in 1855. With Notices of the Country, Government, and People. By Captain Henry Yule, Ben gal Engineers, F.R.G.S. With Numerous Illustrations. London : Smith and Elder. This Mission to which Captain Yule and other scientific men were attached quitted Rangoon on the let August, 1855, under the conduct of Major Plutyre, who was intrusted with the double duty of paying a visit to the King of Ava, iit return for the complimen tary mission despatched by that Sovereign in the spring of that year to Lord Dalhousie at Calcutta, and of extracting from the King a treaty confirming our right to Pegu• Exactly one month was occupied in making the voyage up the Irawadi from Rangoon to Amarapoora, the capital. The scenery was ex tremely beautiful. The river, winding round a succession of grassy islands, is banked on either side with lofty hills densely wooded, or undulating plains and fertile valleys, studded with villages surrounded by hedges and fields, or embosomed in groves of Palmyra palms. In a word, the whole scenery is as beautiful as wood and water and mountain and valley in their most varied forms can make it. Each night the squadron, consisting of two steamers and two flats, anchored off some convenient spot, generally a village or a town, and after a formal interview with the authori ties proceeded to inspect the objects of in terest in the neighbourhood. We have not space to follow Captain Yule iu his description of the several ♦illages and towns he visited, and of the ruins he inspected, en route to the capital. Everywhere the members of the Mission met with the greatest civility, and enjoyed a personal freedom in their inspections scarcely to be anticipated under so jealous a Government. The local authorities entertained them handsomely, ordered special theatrical representations for their amusement, and gate them every facility for visiting the surrounding country. At Yenangyoung they inspected the famous earth•oil or petroleum wells—a great source of imperial revenue—and at the ancient city of Pagan spent four days in a careful survey of its magnificent architectural re mains, which, spread over a space of some eight miles by two, embrace the ruins of upwards of 800 superb brick temples of groat antiquity and interest. Arrived at length at the capital, after many tedious discussions as to the etiquette to be cbserved both upon landing and upon the in terview with the King, the Mission were con ducted with great state to the residence al lotted them on the Ist of September, and, after many tiresome delays, on the 14th had a state audience of the reigning Sovereign of I3urmah. The members of the Mission had agreed to take off their shoes at the door of the Hall of Audience, and c.n entering the chamber they squatted down in front of, and at some distance from, the throne. The Hall of Audience was a superb chamber : The long wings of the hall formed, as it were, the tran septs of &cathedral; in front of us ran hack a central hall like the choir; and in the position of the altar stood the throne, under a detached roof which in fsct formed the many-storied spire conspicuous from all aides of the city. The central space was bounded by tall columns, lackered and picked out in red towards their bases. Other rows of columns ran along the transepts. The whole, except the red bases of the columns, was a blaze of gilding. One high step and four of less rise ascended to the dais on which stood the throne. This was in character exactly like the more adorned seats of Gautama in the temples, and like that from which the High Poongyi preaches. Its form is peculiar, contracting by a gradation of steps from the base upwards to mid-height, and again expanding to the top. The top of the throne was matt/eased with crimson velvet, and at one aide was an elbow-cushion for the King. A carved door-way closed by gilded lattice-doors led tiom behind to the top level of the throne. The material of the throne was a sort of mosaic, of gold, silver, and mirror-work. A few small figures occu— pied niches in the central band. These were said to repre sent the progenitors of the human race. In front of it, on the edge of the steps, stood five gilded shafts, with small gilded labels or scrolls attached like flags to them. These also are royal emblems. After a lapse of some twenty minutes, the sound of soft music heralded the approach of the King:— A body of musketeers entered from the verandas in rear of the throne, and passing forward took their places be• tween the pillars on each aide of the centre aisle, kneeling onoble.b3rrelled pieces) be down with their muskets tween their knees, and their hands clasped before them in an attitude of prayer. As the last man entered the golden lattice-doors be• hind, the throne rolled back into the wall, and the Kin was seen mounting a stair leading from a chamber behind to the summit of the throne. He ascended slowly, and as if oppressed by weight, using his golden•sheathed sword as a staff to assist his steps. This is, doubtless, in some degree a royal etiquette, but Mr. Camaretta asserted that the jewelled coat worn by his Majesty actually weighed nearly one hundred pounds. The Queen followed close upon her husband. The King, after standing for a second or two, slightly dusting the gudhi with a small chowree which he had carried in his left hand, took his seat on the left side of the throne, resting his elbow on the velvet cushion which was placed fur that purpose covered with a white napkin. The Queen seated herself on the King s right and a little in rear, assisting to hand in the gold spittoon and other ap pendages of a Burmese dignitary, which were presented by female attendants from behind. Between their Majes ties in front of the throne stood a large golden figure of the sacred Henzs on a pedestal. Atter the Queen had finally taken her seat she fanned herself diligently for a few moments, and then fanned her husband, whilst one of the girls from behind brought her a lighted cheroot, which was immediately placed between her royal lip.. After three formal questions as to the health of the English ruler, &c., the audience was at an end, the King departed with the same cere monies as on entering, and the Envoy and staff, intensely cramped by the attitude in which they had been sitting, were not sorry to get their dismissal. The state audience was followed by several private interviews, in which the King, who is an amiable and civi lised man, appeared to greater advantage. He conversed freely with the different members of the Mission, and by his questions and answers showed himself to be extremely well-informed upon general subjects, but especially with re ference to the literature of his own country. On one or two occasions he puzzled the Envoy with scientific questions ; as for instance when he asked him, flow many elements are there "in a man's body ?" He took great interest, also, in the Russian war then raging. The King, observes Captain Yule, "is without " doubt a remarkable man for a Burman " ANN 259 1 I